Monday, January 19, 2009

It never stops.

I have two boys, so I shouldn't have to tell you they wrestle.

All the time.

For no reason.

They wrestle when they're happy, when they're sad, and when they're pissed that the other kid has just stolen their last fruit snack.

They wrestle to celebrate pulling one over on Mommy, to show affection, and when there's a commercial on TV.

bumped heads
D'oh!

I only step in when they get hurt. Cuz otherwise, what's the point? They're just going to do it again in like four minutes anyway. You know, when the other kid takes away that ONE Matchbox car out of our 500,000 that they happened to be playing with. (And "duh", you simply cannot replace that one car with any other toy car on the face of the planet. Even the Hummer that plays "U Can't Touch This" and dances. Thanks, Mom-in-law for that gem!)

Sunday night we went to my Dad's for dinner and the wrestling began because, well, we were watching the Playoffs, and I just sat back and laughed as they mimicked the tackles being carried out on screen.

It suddenly occurred to me that maybe not everyone thought it was as funny as I did ("Ohmigosh, did you SEE that wicked stiff arm Will just gave Nick?!?"), and after 60 40 30 20 minutes I started to pull them apart and tried to get them interested in some different toys.

Ten minutes later? Back to wrestling.

My first response was to chuckle and say, "Well, maybe they'll learn something from this. Like, 'Rugburn really hurts.' Hey?"

But then I looked around. My brother was ignoring them, my Dad was laughing at them and my Dad's girlfriend was in the other room. No one seemed to care.

I grew up with three brothers and remember wrestling and fighting, but was it this often?

Should I be more concerned with their fighting?

Or is it just what boys DO?

17 comments:

Melisa Wells said...

It's just what they do.

And in my house, now that they're 13 and 16, they start off laughing, but it never ends without someone slammin' a door somewhere. Makes me NUTS.

But I've only seen them wrestle ONCE where I saw my 16 yo's eyes flash with true anger and thought he was going to totally beat the crud out of his bro, so I stopped it. :)

Maria Melee said...

This is a very scary glimpse into my future.

Jean said...

I have two boys (3 and 6) and this looked like my house ALL weekend. I know they love each other but WHY must they always be rolling around, wrestling, hitting, chasing and playing Karate? Oh, and don't even think about buying one DS. I am going to save until I can buy two because I don't even want to see the fight there.

Kim H. said...

Colleen,

Yes, it's just what they do! I'm sorry to break it to you. I can't tell you how many days a week I say "I'm not taking either one of you to the ER!" I know, nurture, nurture.

Anyway, for us, there's always the "play" wrestling - which always has a tendency to escalate to real punches. That I don't like - because it just happens. And when it happens, sometimes you get ripped shirts - like may be two ripped shirts in one week. Yes, welcome to my world.

But then there's moments like right now when I hear the lego's being moved about upstairs and they're working together and actually getting along. That makes my heart leap with joy. Cherish those minutes.

And I think right now you're boys are still too little for it to get ugly. They'd probably more likely just get hurt from hitting a corner or coffee table or something like that. They're gonna do it regardless. And I am definitely a believer in having them throw their coats on and "blow-off their stink" as I call it. This week they spent too MUCH TIME INSIDE!

PamS said...

Kim H - don't worry; I'm just as 'nurturing' as you are when I tell my 3 and 4 year old boys that there isn't any ER visits on the weekends so they'll just have to tough it out. My boys wrestle contantly and usually someone ends up crying. Me, being the 'nurturing mother', then tells them that I am not paying any attention because I told them to stop in the first place!
My husband was so wonderful as to buy them Packer uniforms (yes, we live in Wisconsin too!) for Christmas, complete with helmets. I'm just waiting for the concussion......

Anonymous said...

It's what they do--but in my house they can't do it in the living room because people or stuff might get hurt. They may wrestle--but it has to be up in their room/playroom or down in the basement--or better yet: outside on the grass/snow;)

Miss said...

Oh that's totally boys for you!! All day, every day!

Unknown said...

The only cure for the wrestling thing is physical separation. Different rooms. Different cities, sometimes. When they get older, though, all you'll have to do is throw some food at 'em and it will stop - at least long enough for them to eat.

Roger Miller said...

Being one of three boys myself, I would say that this is perfectly normal. Of course, my younger brother used to get a little more PO'd than most, including my youngest brother, and would start coming after me with broom sticks and an occasional knife. That isn't exactly normal behavior, but it we aren't exactly normal people either. :) Oh, and no one got hurt, unless you count doors, cabinets, and maybe some furniture. :)

Lovely Lalo-Cha said...

No worries, especially at their age. They are adorable and you step in when needed. My Boy/Girl do the same thing and I am guilty for joining in the fun now and again.

Anonymous said...

I did think that having a 9 year age gap I would be saved this type of stuff - hell no!

The problem I have is that the 6 year old beats the hell out of the 16 year old, who gets sick of it and then whacks the other who then squeals like a girl and the oldest gets wrong for being too rough and hurting the little one.

But it just goes on and on....

I banned both mine from watching WWF or whatever, but they still get it from Naruto and other cartoons.

Sorry - but at least boys don't scream and squeal like girls do.

As Cape Cod Turns said...

My MIL would send my husband and his brother outside and tell them to do anything they wanted, just don't hit above the shoulders. Guess she wanted to save their pearly whites?

Eli's Lids said...

As long as they play well together sometimes too... who cares!?!??
http://elislids.blogspot.com

Cathy said...

I guess it's just the nature of those silly boys. As long as they're not killing each other...

Anonymous said...

Hells yeah, that's normal! I used to try to break it up until my husband said, you might as well just let 'em fight it out bcus they're gonna do it when we're NOT looking and it'll be worse. Then he goes, "Take it outside, boys." So around here they can roughhouse all they want as long as they do it outside. Oh, I throw a flag on the play when I see blood, for the most part, we just let them beat the crap outta each other.

Unknown said...

All the little boy brothers I used to babysit wrestled CONSTANTLY! It takes some serious getting used to when you're not living it...I even had to ask parents if it was normal.

That and the fact that the girls Dad and his twin brother STILL wrestle to this very day at the age of 28 :) I think it's very normal.

Wineplz said...

Sounds like mine, too, especially now that Cooper is starting to get coordinated enough to do so. That and Gavin totally initiates and encourages his younger brother to squish him to get things started.