Persistence

Beware, fellow parents. You have less than 3 months to shop for your over-commercialized December holiday of choice.  In the Mom of No’s house, that’s Christmas. 

I am well aware of this fact, because my son is well aware of this fact, and he is constantly revising his wish list and then informing me of the revisions, so that I am perpetually aware of his current heart’s desire.  I don't know if this is an autism thing, an adolescent boy thing, or just a thing, but it drives me crazy.  

A few days ago I was sitting in the bathroom doing bathroom things, and I hear him yelling outside the door, MOM! MOM! I need to show you something RIGHT NOW!  Even though the door is shut my Mom Senses indicate he’s jumping up and down with extreme impatience. I was envisioning house-related disasters involving gushing water or fire trucks.  But no, he wanted to show me the same exact LEGO set on Amazon that he’d been staring at for the last two months- except this time it was….get this…..on sale. 

He follows me around the house with the iPad and constantly asks me whether or not he can have the LEGO set with the demolition truck, or maybe the one with the bike shop because he wants to build a LEGO city in the living room.  We have conversations that go like this: 

Him:  I really want the LEGO set with the tractor.

Me:    I know.  You’ve told me several times. 

Him:  Can I have it for Christmas?

Me:    I’ll think about it but only if you don’t ask me again.

Him:  (Five minutes later)  Mom, I want that LEGO set really badly with the tractor.

Me:    (silent zen breathing and staring straight ahead) 
Him:  Mom? Mom? Did you hear me?  I really want this LEGO set.

It’s like a hamster in a wheel, going around and around and around and around…and it is going to drive the Mom of No crazy because there are still nearly THREE MONTHS before Christmas morning.  Then I will get exactly a 24 hour period of total peace and quiet before he starts all over again with his newest heart's desire which will be some other LEGO set which is almost exactly like the one he just got.

He’ll hear me mention that I’m going to Target, and he’ll run to the car so fast it’s a blur going by because in his mind Target is only the best store ever – and then when we get there he goes off to the toy section and stares wistfully at the LEGO kits. When I’m finished with my errands, he’ll look at me and sigh, I wish I had that LEGO set.  I want it really badly.   Of course he knows that the answer will be NO, but he still asks because he is so incredibly persistent when he wants something even when he knows that he isn't going to get it.

At least LEGOS are relatively affordable.  When I ask his sister what she wants for Christmas, the conversation goes something like this: 

Me: What do you want for Christmas?

Teenager:    My own laptop.  And a trip to Europe.  

You know what the Mom of No wants for Christmas?

 

A pair of Danner hiking boots so I can hike out into the woods and hide there forever.