Yesterday was the actual New Year. I gave the kids their red envelopes with money in it as it is a traditional thing that occurs on this holiday. They each got $25 and were very happy to get it!
This evening, the community Chinese Association was putting on a dinner and performance at one of the local middle schools and we planned to attend with both sets of grandparents. It was time to go and Kai was being a poop. He wanted two of Caden's friends to come but I wasn't going to ask them right when it's time to go. He also wanted to take the ipad and I told him no. He was sitting on his bed and I knew this could go badly very easily. I tried coaxing him to the car with how fun the evening was going to be. Not working...so I told him he had a choice. I picked up his red shoes and told him he could walk to the car on his own or Daddy and I would each take one of his sides and "escort" him to the car. I repeated it again. He decided to walk on his own but NOT with the red shoes. He wanted to wear black snow boots. Whatever...I told him that was fine.
Everyone is waiting for him in the car and I ask him to put his shoes on IN the car but he proceeds to the couch. I am beginning to lose my cool. I had been very patient up to this point but the dude is killing me. He puts his shoes on and then VERY SLOWLY proceeds to walk to the car....I'm talking slow mo just to tick me off. It's working but I'm trying to hold it in.
In the car, he starts complaining about no wifi and the electronics. I turned around and told Kai he had been on the ipad all day and he didn't need to be on it this evening. He was also complaining about Llittle C having his ipod. I told him Little C wasn't playing his ipod all day like Kai was. Kai said he wasn't, he watched tv, too. My point exactly. Remember, Saturday is the technology free day. They can have them all day but I still can say to get off if it's been too long.
Next thing I know, I hear sobbing behind me. I turn around and tell Kai, "Kai, stop. We are going to Chinese New Year and this is supposed to be fun. No crying. No ipod tonight for anyone. We should be happy." He stopped crying. Unfortunately, I also had two other teenage boys, I won't name them, who were complaining the whole time about going. Can I just say, I was ready to have hubby turn the car around, lock everyone in their rooms (we really don't do that), take a soak in the hot bath so I'm not cold while stuffing my face with ice cream....but I didn't.
We arrive at the school and Kai is grumpy but going with the flow. He snaps out of it as we are standing in line to get into the dinner. There were hundreds of people there tonight. We had a yummy Chinese meal and a two hour performance by people in the Chinese community performing dances and music. It turned out to be an enjoyable evening and it was fun to feel like we were back in China. Happy Chinese New Year to all!
