I've Got a Funny Feeling

Once a year it happens and we all just have to deal with it!  That's right!  It is a birthday, a 6 year old birthday, and I just have to suck it up and admit that I may not enjoy them as much as he will, but it is not my birthday.
I would like to pose a hypothetical situation to you all.  Lets say that a young and impressionable child was exposed to a substance that caused his brain to malfunction and for him to crave only that one thing.  Lets say that this child then exposed other children to this hideous substance and they all encouraged each other to covet the substance and worship it to the exclusion of all others.  What if the substance was provided by a Being that could tempt and cajole your child and you could not combat their influence.  What would you do?  WHAT WOULD YOU DO!?

Me?  Oh, I think I would plan a birthday party around that substance and allow that freaky little Being to host it!!  Do you know of what I speak?  I speak of the only form of legal kiddie crack.  I speak of, I can hardly say its name........... 

Naming your demons is one way to exorcise them and I am saying it loud.  When Max visits his pal Chuck, all bets are off!  He runs around like a he has no control of his body and often displays what I would call addict behaviors.  Let me expound on this idea....

1. A person may become obsessed by an object, activity, or substance.
"Tickets and tokies (tokens)" are all he can seem to focus on and he will do just about anything to get more of those tickets and tokies. "Mom, Mom, Mom!  Can I have another $20?  I will clean my room!"  See what I mean!?

2. A person will seek it out, or engage in the behavior even though it is causing harm.
The upset that is experienced when you explain that it is "Time to Go" and the pouty face when they only got 300 tickets toward that 1 million ticket prize, would certainly be considered a psychic owie.  What about the cajoling of dear friends to get an extra token or ticket?  Just sayin'!


3. Upon cessation of the activity, withdrawal symptoms often occur.
Yea, OK.  How many times have kids become limp or had to be removed from the premises against their will because they just can't stop!  Once you are in the car they stare longingly out the window and chant "Bye Chuck E. Bye." and the wave is this sad and quasi-limp affair.


4. The person does not appear to have control as to when, how long, or how much he or she will continue the behavior (loss of control).
Once they have entered the house of Chuck, you better have an exit strategy!  That is all I am gonna say.


5. He/she often denies problems resulting from his/her engagement in the behavior, even though others can see the negative effects.
A reminder to Max about how he got mad last time he was at Chuck's achieves nothing but to remind him that he will get more tokies THIS time cause it is HIS birthday party!

Maybe I just need a support group to help me through this period of my son's cravings.  Maybe it is not Chuck's fault.  Maybe it is the fault of the conglomeration of fun that he has set forth and I need to be thankful for such a gathering of glee.  Maybe Max will not crave the things that only Chuck can provide for much longer.

HA!  Till that day, I will smile and wave to the little beings who will be immersed in all that is Chuck, as Max celebrates the big 6.

Please always remember and don't ever forget:

“If I were invited to a party with my characters, I wouldn't show up.”


Dr. Seuss