Boy Twin’s Sleep Over

I think I know why I didn’t have sleep overs when I was a kid. My parents didn’t encourage them. I know why they didn’t encourage sleep overs. My parents and the parents of my friends somehow knew that no good could come of having children other that their own sleep at their house.

I don’t know why this generation of parents refuse to follow what worked for their parents. Come on- it worked for your parents; stop fixing what isn’t broke.

Boy Twin got invited to his first sleep over. First, I should probably admit, Elaine and I have wondered why Boy Twin had not been invited to any sleep overs this year. Girl Twin has an invite to spend the weekend at some other girl’s house every Friday, without exception.

Boy Twin sums up his lack of lack of invitations as “boys don’t spend the night at each other houses”. We asked him if he wanted to have a friend spend the night, but he always replies, “No I don’t want to clean my room.” God, I love that kid. Not the messy room part, just the no sleep over part! OK, I love him for more reasons that just no sleep overs, but after this weekend I can’t remember what they are.

Against our better judgement, Elaine and I allowed Boy Twin to spend the night at a friends house. I would like to blame Elaine, but she discussed it with me before SHE said yes. After almost 38 years of marriage Elaine knows to have an out when things turn bad. It makes for short arguments.

The boy that invited Boy Twin to spend the night is a great kid, with good parents. I had previously met the family through youth baseball. I/we saw no downside in a sleep over.

Actually, I think the sleep over went well. I picked up Boy Twin the next afternoon. He was happy and talkative. About five minutes into the drive, I noticed he wasn’t as chatty and his eyes were closing.

Me: So, how late did you stay up? Boy Twin: We went to bed around 2:00 Me: What were you doing? BT: Playing “Call of Duty” with Conrad and Jerry Me: I didn’t know their were other boys at the sleep over. BT: They were at Conrad’s house, we played with them on the X-Box on the internet. We stopped playing at 5:00 AM. Me: I thought you went to bed at 2:00. BT: We did. We played while we were lying down.

Soon, Boy Twin was asleep in the car. When Boy Twin has not had enough sleep he has the personality of a grizzly bear with someone standing on its foot. Unfortunately, it was one of those days when I couldn’t take him home and put him to bed,

It wouldn’t have worked anyway. Boy Twin is not the kid that goes to bed when he’s tired. He does his best arguing when he’s tired.

When Boy Twin awoke from his car nap, he was looking for the person standing on his foot. Boy Twin’s usual targets (Girl Twin and Ivy) were not enough, at dinner he decided Elaine was the person standing on his feet.

He won’t be sleeping over at someone’s house anytime soon. Thank God his X-Box was destroyed in Flood Monner. (See, I told you floods aren’t all bad.) He got up this morning and started cleaning his room. Don’t worry folks, I’m not falling for it.

Our crazy lives!

Monner