Venting: I hate Legos

[E2001]

I used to like Legos as a kid. Built lots of things with them. But most of today's Legos come in specialized kits (space shuttle! airplane! fire truck!) so you don't have to use your imagination to build with them. Plus my husband buys kits that are too hard for our 5yo son. He helps put them together, but they are tricky to get BACK together if they come apart, especially if the instructions are misplaced. And boy, do they fall apart! I remember playing with the things I built out of my Legos, but today's Legos don't seem to stick together as well. You have this complicated object, like an airplane, with all these little pieces, and they fall apart when you do something simple like hold it and pretend it's flying. He wants to put them back together by himself, which leads to frustration, which leads to pouting, possibly tears....I've tried gluing them, but it wears off after a while.

And WHEN do they most often fall apart? Right before supper. Right before bedtime. Right before it's time to get his shoes on to leave the house for school, church, whatever. But mostly right before bedtime, which leads to desperate pleas that it HAS to be put back together right away! PLEEEAASE MOMMY!
These darn things have caused so many tears and tantrums that I have had to ban them from his room so they don't disrupt bedtime. Does Daddy enforce this? NO. Just Mommy. Mommy is always the bad guy on this.

[joycelorelle]

Oh, I feel you. I had tons of legos and I built so many intricate houses my parents wondered if I would be an architect (way up into my late teens, even). I solved this by going to walmart and just getting the basic starter kit. Every once in a while we get our son the sets, but only for special occasions. He and I used to sit down together, think of something cool, and then try to build it. Sometimes it was a pain because I had so many other things to do (laundry, cooking, bathing, sleeping, cleaning...ack!) but after a short time, it piqued his interest and he started building things on his own. Every time he brought an invented creation , I would give it way more enthusiastic praise than something he built with instructions from a kit...it worked for us, now he is a building maniac...that might be something to try. Just watch out -- there will be legos all around the house! Other than that, I don't really have any advice for you. Just encourage creativity and, if he needs it, sit down and play with them together -- if nothing else, it could be a nudge in the right direction.

[joycelorelle]

Oh yeah, and in our house mommy is always the bad guy. Just part of being a mom, I guess. But keep your chin up! At least they know they can depend on you for stability and consistency.

[diaperdad]

Being the bad guy, is NOT part of being a mom. Always being the bad guy is a result of a parenting imbalance you and your child's other parent have built into your family dynamic.

If you have parenting needs from the other parent and you are not communicating those needs then you are responsible. If you are communicating those needs and they aren't being met then your problems are greater than LEGOs falling apart.

[ErmaJarrellm]

I'd ask for an electric guitar with an amplifier and an MXR Guitar Pedal. Electric guitar is a great thing to get, and you can teach yourself how to play. Procellix Cellulite

Cream

[E2001]

"If you are communicating those needs and they aren't being met then your problems are greater than LEGOs falling apart."

Yep, that sums it up pretty well. But I just wanted to vent about the LEGOS this time.