Michele L's Raising all Boys Blog: Mother Son night

Last week was Mother Son night at my boys' school. I am glad that my kids school does something for the mom's and sons. The girls have a Daddy daughter dance the week of Valentines and then March is for the Mom and sons.

this year we did laser tag. This is the third year of laser tag. The year Stephen was in kindergarten, we did a Mom and Son bowling night - it was fun. The next year, we did Mom and son night at the Children's Museum - it was fun too. Now for the third year, its laser tag, and I know the boys love it. However, after 3 years, I hope they do something different next year.

I love the mom Son night at Luigis. We get 2 games of laser tag (games only last about 5 mins, so that takes up about 15 mins). Its moms against the boys. (MOMS ALWAYS WIN!!:) ) I really do enjoy the laser tag and had a great strategy this year. The boys just love the bridgeway. So i sit below and to the back and I can see them on the bridge and also as they come down the stairs into the main area. Its a great vantage point and it makes it hard to sneak up on me. So while the boys are running all around, i tend to be stationary and just shooting them. Half the time, I don't even think they figured out who got them! This is one of those events that I am a bit competitive. Stephen tells me its not fair because we have Thomas's mom on our team. I ask, why is that not fair. He tells me its because she is a cop and it gives her an unfair advantage. Hmmm. I don't have the hear to tell him that while they may have good aim, us moms probably have strategy on our side. I don't know about the other moms, but I don't let my kids win on purpose once they are of school age. (I may not play super hard if i want to let them catch up, but I usually will try to do well).

Last year was the first year Ryan did it. The gun and vest must have weighed almost as much as he did. It was so hard for him to hold the gun and shoot and I don't think he understood you had to aim at the places on the gun and vest to get a hit, so i think he was just aiming for heads! This year he did much better (all those darned video games and WII games he's been playing probably).

While this was fun, it lasted a short time, then off to eat (pizza and salad). And after that, the dreaded Arcade time. I dread it as I don't find it fun. Stephen always is off with his friends. I don't find it to be such a bonding experience in the Arcade, so I am hoping they will do something that will create more mom son together time during the event. I can take the kids to the arcade any time and watch them play. And after they are all out of their tokens, it is the pain stakingly long process of picking out prizes. That is even worse than the arcade!

I think next year I should wear an "I survived the Mom Son Night at the arcade" t-shirt. I did not do any of the planning nor did I offer to volunteer in any way for this event at the school, so i guess I should just be happy and grateful to those that did that there was such an event. Its wonderful to see that they see its important to have Mom Son night and not just Daddy daughter and Mother daughter things!

Ryan on a skiing game