How the Xbox Changed My Life

It isn't a great secret that I hate video games.  I loathe them with a hatred that is nearly indescribable.  But just for the sake of trying, let's pretend that video games are called Yvette, and then watch the following clip and you will have an idea of what I mean.
You with me now?

I hate video games.  And because of that, we own a Nintendo 64 and a Playstation 2 - two of the most outdated machines you can have - and I have been known to ground the children from them for months at a time and just once to throw the PS2 in a fit of rage.  I'm not proud of that, but there it is.

So when my husband and I, along with two of our kids, walked into a Game Stop the other day I can't really say what kind of insanity or evil demon had taken possession of me, but a string of words came out of my mouth that I swear I thought I would never utter.

"Why don't we get an Xbox?"

Yep.  That's what I heard myself say.  And I didn't have to say it twice before Andrew was on board and the cursed thing was being scanned at the register.

Buyer's remorse is something that I experience with a fair amount of frequency, and this was no exception.  All the way home I kept thinking, "What have I done? What have I done??"  But then this weird kind of elation came over me, like a beautiful sunrise, and I began to understand the amount of power that I held in that enormous bag on my lap.

Rules were quickly established as to when the Xbox could be played, a system was put into place for the boys to earn their playing time.  The rules and the system were implemented on the first day, and the change that has come over my four children is astounding. Not to mention the cleanliness of the house.

First, the boys are never allowed to play unless their rooms are clean, their chores are done and their schoolwork/homework is completed.  And then they are awarded ten minutes of playing time per requirement.  (Ten minutes for homework, ten for chores, ten for a clean room.)

Second, I have the right to take away minutes for bad behavior or sub-standard work.  I've done it twice already, and it is a beautiful thing.

Finally, the kids may earn extra minutes by doing extra work around the house.  This is the best part.  My van is getting cleaned tomorrow.

What have the results of this plan been?  Oh, sweet joy, allow me to share!

Cameron has finished all of his online schoolwork by one in the afternoon every day.  He has yet to notice or mention the fact that I've been putting extra lessons in since Tuesday.  His chores happen immediately after lunch and I never have to ask him to do them.  In addition to his other chores he has done three loads of laundry this week, done the lunch dishes, folded clothes, swept the floor, helped the little kids with their chores, made dinner and vacuumed - all without being asked!

Ethan has resumed his old habit of doing homework, which had disappeared over the last month.  He has been kind to his brothers and offered to do extra work.

Drew has decided that he'd rather play with his friend across the street than work to earn dumb old video games.  This is the best triumph of all and I hope it lasts!

And finally - Trent has consented to doing the homework that his speech pathologist gives him, which basically means talking with a popsicle stick holding his tongue down and he hates it.  But he's practiced more this week than he ever has before, and pretty soon he'll be saying lick and truck and snack without any popsicle stick required.

So as long as the boys continue to be obsessed with the object of my deepest abhorrence, I think we can consider this a win-win.  In the meantime I am completely stumped at what to do while I sit on my arse and watch my kids work.  So I'm currently playing 12 different games of Words With Friends, eating a lot of cookies and obsessively watching An Idiot Abroad.  I may need to start a weight-loss blog soon.  Until then, I plan on letting the kids earn ten extra minutes if they vacuum all the cookie crumbs off my chest during the commercials.