What's in a name? and a TV update

Jacob is wondering around the room, attempting to procrastinate the impending bath which is headed his way when he starts to discuss his name with me. As I sit in the chair listening to him spell his name out again and again (J….A….C……O……B) he declares that sometimes he likes to be called “Jake.”

I reply to him, “Really? Would you like to be called Jake?” Knowing his father is going to have a fit about it.

“Yes, sometimes”

“Well do you like Jake or Jacob?”

“I like Jake, because it is like Jacob! Or Up, You know…..Jake Up”

At this point I am in a fit of giggles at the logic of my fantastic 5-year-old son. Of course, it would have to be Jake or Up. Those are the only two that make up his name.

Boy, do I love his craziness.

On a side note I have “made a deal” with Emily regarding her television time. She was very honest with Mrs. Ann about how long she cannot watch TV, even when her father and I forgot to tell Mrs. Ann of the added time. If she comes home tonight and cleans her room AND keeps it clean through the weekend I will knock a week off the punishment. I think the whole no TV thing has gotten through to her; I think she is finally getting it. And unfortunately, TV is the one thing she seems to “miss” the most when it is gone. But on that same note, she doesn’t seem to miss the cartoons as much as just the sitting and vegging out. So we have to conquer that next. I do think when we bring back TV there will be some strict rules enforced as to how much and exactly what it is she is watching.
Today is Day 14 of no TV and she is already a much more pleasant person to be around. I think we will still stand firm on the whole month of October, but she maybe able to earn some of her most recent punishment back. As long as the lying, and back talking stop we will continue to allow her to earn back the time she lost last weekend. She has been mostly pleasant and sweet this week, except for the occasional 7-year-old outburst, that we expect. We just don’t appreciate the 17-year-old outbursts.