Jiminy Cricket

Some new kids moved in down the street. They like our kids, and want to play with them constantly. When our kids have other obligations, or just other things they'd rather do, these kids seem very much put out. They act as if they owned our kids, and can't understand how we can require them to do anything. They are mostly unsupervised, and it shows.

BB has had trouble finishing his schoolwork lately, not because there is so much of it, nor because it's too difficult, but because he spends a lot of time staring off into space when he thinks he's working. As soon as the PS is out, these kids are banging on the door, asking if he's out of school yet. Actually, banging on the door would be more polite. It would imply someone had taught them to knock. Instead, they peer in the windows until someone comes to the door. Their mother supposedly babysits some other kids. At least she pays more attention to what they're doing than she does to her own kids, which isn't saying much. Now those kids are picking up the same habits.

I'd like to think my boys are a positive example, an influence for the good, salt and light, but I want to be careful of who is influencing whom. Especially because, with his social deficits, GL has a hard time distinguishing appropriate from inappropriate behavior, and will usually do anything another kid tells him. Once he acquires a habit, it becomes a rule in his mind, and is very difficult to change. So we let him play with them, as long as they stay in our yard, their yard or on the sidewalk, (they live three doors down) or even at the park across the street. But I check on him frequently.

Yesterday, as soon as BB finished his schoolwork, I told him, "Go be Jiminy Cricket." He had seen Pinocchio* recently, so he thought for a moment, and said, "Oh, you mean be his conscience!" Yes, and keep him from following the example of bad companions.

*The Disney Empire's genius consists of equal parts finding great books and mutilating them.