I had a call from the mother of a child in my youngest son’s class today. There seemed to be some sort of problem involving Club Penguin. I wasn’t completely concentrating because I was about to go in to a “Business Meeting” in Central London and I was feeling very important and Club Penguin dramas didn’t quite fit the image I was trying hard to portray.
It’s really not easy for me to get up to town for a business meeting because there is so much to do here. With the kids. I had to make arrangements for all of them and then get easy food in for the older two to cook and even then I got a text from teenage son saying “can we both go to local thai restaurant for dinner pleeese”. I was invited to go out after the meeting but couldn’t because I had to rush back a) to go to a Christmas drinks party at the studio where I teach and b) to help out at Cubs.
On my return, I checked the older two kids were OK, walked up the road to lovely ridiculously early Christmassy party, said “hi” to everyone and came back home half an hour later. Youngest son arrived back from being at football with a friend and then I had to rush him straight out to cubs. Anyway, I had been informed some time ago that it was my turn to “volunteer” to help. I was initially given the job of marking each child out of 10 for clean hands and proper uniform. Given that my child had turned up with soaking wet hair having been playing football, white shiny football shorts instead of navy blue trousers because he didn’t have time to change, a green sweatshirt but no toggle and scarf because we couldn’t find it in time – I could hardly take points off any of the others. So the six-pack (or whatever they’re called) that I inspected got full marks, which meant that they each won a packet of Smarties which caused huge dissent in the ranks because frankly my group looked a bit motley with dirty hands compared to some of the other six-packs and perhaps I shouldn’t have been so generous.
It was Spanish night. My job was to stand behind a wobbly table, cutting up bits of salami and serrano ham, olives, melon and manchego cheese for the children to sample. It was chaotic. They were like a swarm of locusts. Most of the children were prepared to try something new, some gagging on olives – others trying to eat 25 in a row.
Then I watched several of them do their duty to god bit and promise to do a good turn every day and even watched my son get presented with a badge. I couldn’t do that archaela (sp?) job in a million years. Even if I got paid I wouldn’t do it. What a nightmare it is trying to control all those children and keep them focused for an hour and a half.
On the way home I brought up the Club Penguin issue in a casual “what’s been going on” sort of way with my youngest. Turns out that my son has managed to get another boy banned for 24 hours for going on as his penguin and making his penguin say “shit”. I was appalled. ”Well, he did it to me….he got me banned last week but I didn’t want to tell you because that’s being a tell tale”…..
Isn’t that really terrible? I’m mortified. Now I’ve got to ring the mum in the morning and apologise. My older two kids think it’s hysterical – which is sort of part of the problem. He’s so used to being surrounded by older kids that I am quite sure his behaviour is worse accordingly. He is really upset – mainly because he got caught, but also because he thinks it’s all very unfair given the other boy did it first and because I have now banned him from using the computer for a month (which may be a bit harsh, but it’s the first length of time that came out of my mouth so now I’ve got to stick with it).
A couple of weeks ago I reluctantly agreed to let him have a go on Facebook because, whilst I know there is an age restriction, a lot of his friends are on it and he was desperate. He was always hovering over the shoulder of his siblings anyway and if I’m honest he had finally managed to wear me down after a majorly efficient and targeted campaign involving the slow but sure breaking down of my will. I had to endure months of “but so-and-so’s on it” and “she’s had it for ages” and “why don’t you ask their mum about it then” and “all my friends are on it and I’m not and you’re ruining my life” and on and on it went until I gave in. He has already infuriated my daughter by putting photos up that she hasn’t approved and by asking all her my friends what they’re doing at 8am in the morning. Thanks to “Farmville” he appears well on his way to picking up an unhealthy addiction. He rushes down in the morning and simply has to go on it in case his strawberries die or his apples need picking.
After tending to his land he has been cruising around his mates (which are made up mostly of his brother and sister’s friends who all think it’s cute that he’s joined). His friend in Australia had the following message on his page: “hey u gays, get on Facebook”, followed by “soz i meant guys, soz”
Anyway, as a result of his Club Penguin disgrace I have told him that because I can’t trust him, he can’t go on Facebook anymore and now he’s even more upset because his strawberries are going to die.
November 27th, 2009 at 12:32 am
Don’t start me on bloody ‘Farmville’. Though its not the kids, its OH! He has long meaningful conversations with teens about lost cows & crops…he really is a ‘Big’ kid. I know what you mean about the ‘first length of time that came out…’ thing. I’m forever doing it, and having to stick with it, Grrr, which creates all sorts of hassles, mainly for me I might add! Good luck with it!
November 27th, 2009 at 1:44 pm
I know – I hear lots of teenagers really into it – mine not (so far) thankfully Lx
November 27th, 2009 at 12:42 am
Wow. I feel old as most of that went totally over my head! What’s a Club Penguin? Maybe I need a 9 yr old in my life to help me get ‘with it’?
x
November 27th, 2009 at 1:43 pm
You’re not the only one clearly…..see above comment reply to Clare…..very child friendly and sweet game like Sims for kids you can dress them up and choose furniture for their igloos etc….Lx
November 28th, 2009 at 11:33 am
Oh – i seem to have lost Claire’s comment – Club Penguin is an online Disney game – very popular – you can build up your characters, but they’re not supposed to swear Lx
November 27th, 2009 at 4:18 am
Oh. My. God. banned from penguin world??? heh he he! i also think its very funny. my last born, all of 6 but nearly 7 is desperate to have a penguin. my two boys have sort of “grown out” of their penguin suits and have graduated to Rune Scape….all is way beyond my comprehension….oh and if you;re on facebook, please be my buddy. search me and beep me. lovely. thank christ its friday, eh? lots love xxx j
November 27th, 2009 at 1:42 pm
Ok I’ll come and find you on Facebook Lx
November 27th, 2009 at 5:14 am
Hee hee hee. So with you on this. Although mine is only 6, you’d think he was 20. Whenever I (or his teacher) tell him off, he raises both shoulders, extends arms out to each side, palms up, and says “What?”. So embarrassing.
And the 14 year old is doing the I’ll-just-wear-them-down routine with that new “Call of Duty” X-box game. It’s rated M (18) and apparently he’s the only one in the world who doesn’t have it. What he needs to learn is this type of behaviour makes me dig my heels in more! Ugh!
November 27th, 2009 at 1:42 pm
It’s all a nightmare. Especially when the child concerned is the oldest – makes such a difference. Lx
November 27th, 2009 at 9:22 am
What’s club penguin?
November 27th, 2009 at 1:41 pm
It’s a Disney online game that kids of that age seem to be really in to and SO completely inappropriate to be swearing Lx
November 27th, 2009 at 11:16 am
Another quiet family centred day then? It’s all sounding painfully familiar.
Now that my lot have evolved beyond grunting, Facebook is the main form of communication. I have a Facebook thing but can’t really see the point and almost never use it. The Children’s Mother, under pressure from work colleagues, got enthusiastic for a month or so but has now seen the light. TCM works in a school and the other day all the staff, under a three line whip, attended a talk by the police on the dangers of the internet and there use thereof, in particular Facebook. I imagine will have cancelled their accounts! The police put the fear of God in them!!
November 27th, 2009 at 1:40 pm
Yes, all very scary Lx
November 27th, 2009 at 5:10 pm
ATE THREE ORANGE CLUB PENGUINS THE OTHER DAY AND FELT BAD, SO L KNOW HOW YOU FEEL!..
SORRY..
November 27th, 2009 at 5:13 pm
Seriously! facebook, well lve been on it ages, when the kids graduated from BEBO, to MY SPACE and then facebook, they banned me form their sites mortified that l was there first..
so here’s the deal…they HAVE to add me as a friend.. I PROMISE never to comment on their status on the age, (ONLY to them directly, whihch l do often but mostly its funny) and I’m not alllowed to post any baby pics, or worse….so l follow them read what they are saying to whom, and its worked ok so far..does this help…then they dont feel like cyclopsmorphedaliens, without contact with the mothership!
saz xx
breathe!
November 27th, 2009 at 7:41 pm
That is a very good idea – my older two wouldn’t agree to that, I’ve left it too late, but I”m friends with some of their friends, so I have my way in – never done it though…..too scary! But good plan with the youngest Lx
November 27th, 2009 at 6:21 pm
It’s a “woggle”
you’ll miss them when they’ve all gone.
November 28th, 2009 at 11:31 am
What’s a woggle? Lx
November 30th, 2009 at 12:04 am
What you called a “Toggle”
K
January 30th, 2010 at 12:32 pm
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March 28th, 2010 at 11:24 pm
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March 28th, 2010 at 11:52 pm
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April 11th, 2010 at 2:03 am
Seen the 2010 Clubpenguin April Fool’s Party? It’s lots of fun and there are plenty of great things to do there.
April 15th, 2010 at 3:09 am
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April 15th, 2010 at 3:47 am
what a implausible submit, wow.
April 24th, 2010 at 12:53 am
When are they going to add something new to club penguin
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