The curse of the Nintendo DS

All my son asked for from Santa this year was a Nintendo 3DS and an X-Box 360.  I say "all" like this is inconsequential, but he literally only asked for these two items.  He's 6 and doesn't really get the concept of "several hundred dollars" when Santa's elves are making the crap in their workshop, thereby eliminating my "mommy doesn't have any money" defense.  So I told my sweet cherub that if Santa asked I would tell him that he was not allowed to give him an X-box because he was not old enough, we have a Wii, and he doesn't need more time gaming.  But the DS, that I could live with.  Famous Last Words.

A bit of a back-story here:  I have only allowed R to have LeapFrog electronic toys.  He has a Leapster and a Didj, and a handful of math and spelling games to go with said hand-helds.  And until this year, he was fine with those toys.  This year's plan was to have Santa bring him the LeapPad.  But then he looked at me with those big blue eyes and said, "but mommy, I want games that don't make me do math or read."  So I acquiesced and "allowed Santa" to bring him the DS on Christmas morning.

Since the day after Christmas, I have had to take that G...D... effen thing away from him constantly because he becomes obsessed to the point where he doesn't do what he is supposed to do around the house. Or listen to me. OMG, so freaking frustrated.  But today, today my friends, I hit my limit.  First he wouldn't get dressed (cartoons made him comatose and unable to dress himself apparently).  So after telling him a dozen or more times to get dressed over a 30 minute time frame, he's dressed.  Then I finally get him into the car and he has his DS in his hand.  We go to school, he gets out of the car, no backpack.  Where's your backpack R?  I don't know, I couldn't find it.  ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME????  So busy was he playing Madden Football that he forgot his backpack.  So back in the car we go, drive home, I calm the dogs down AGAIN, put his DS on top of the fridge, grabbed his backpack, and got back in the car.  And that is when I unloaded on him big time (this is why I don't spank, I have absolutely no control).  My rant went something like this:

All you have to do in the morning is get dressed, brush your teeth, grab your backpack and get in the car.  You failed today to do even ONE of those things without me having to ask you a dozen times.  NOT ONE!  And all because of this DS.  From now on, consider the DS a library book.  You have to wait to use it until I have determined you have earned the right to play and it must be surrendered to me when I determine it is due.  In addition, since you obviously have forgotten how to get dressed and watch TV at the same time, the TV will remain off until you are COMPLETELY ready for school, down to hair and teeth being brushed. 

Oh yea, completely stellar mom-moment there.  I was so pissed off, and reading this, I'm thinking it is not so much the content, but rather the delivery of the message that I consider the mommy-fail.  But the kid threw his shirt at me and asked, "do you expect me to wear this jersey without a shirt underneath?"  Umm, yes, it's going to be 76 degrees today and you have a jacket in your backpack.  Wait, did you just THROW YOUR SHIRT AT ME?????"  So in a period of 40 minutes all of this occurred and I just flipped the shit out.

Sorry for the all-over-the-place post, but that's how I've felt all day after this cluster of a morning.