Existential angst.

[pat]

What do you do when your two pre-teens decide that they shouldn't have to do anything because "What's the point, we're all going to die someday?" (Not to mention the elder of the two saying -- "He [younger brother] is just going to die someday anyway, why can't I take him out now?")

That thudding sound is me hitting my head against the table.

Between that and the eight-year- old's rant this morning about how he wasn't going to watch Cartoon Network because gasp! they had developed a program for preschoolers... It turns out NIckelodeon is no longer acceptably cool because they run "Nick Jr."

Comments

[kightp.livejournal.com]

Perhaps the next time they ask to do something fun you might casually suggest ask what's the point, since we're all going to die anyway?

(I've never been a parent, but I've been a kid, and that was about how my mom would have handled it. Her No. 1 strategy for rearing pre-teens was to take all our pronouncements with a large grain of salt - while paying enough attention to know when we were truly distressed.)

[patgreene.livejournal.com]

I try to, but sometimes the old salt shaker is a might low. And part of me thinks this is really funny. I need to get them golden staplers.

[kightp.livejournal.com]

Y'know, that's a terrific idea. A trip to OfficeMax, a little spray paint ...

[ame-chan.livejournal.com]

politely suggest that "someday" is gonna happen a lot sooner if they don't get with the program, a la "I brought you into this world, I can take you out of it and honey, I can always make more people if I want them."

Okay maybe not. But saying it at least makes you feel better.

[patgreene.livejournal.com]

I just inhaled my OJ. That hurts. : )

[firecat]

I might be tempted to say "there are things worse than death, and you'll find out what they are if you don't do X."

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

I haven't the foggiest idea, since, when I said that as a teenager, it was because I was clinically depressed, and still feel that way when the meds aren't working. . .