Grounded!

For the past few days the kids have been grounded. Grounded in our house does not mean that they are confined to the house, they would not find that a punishment. Rather that they are banned from computers, playstations and the cartoon network. The reason for this was, that with their mother ill, they had not been doing even the every day chores, let alone helping me out with the increased workload. So they were grounded until they changed their ways.
So last night Lorii and I discuss the situation, decide they have both made an effort, and resolve to lift the grounding. With Lorii installed on the sofa to get a break from the bedroom, I make my way up the stairs to give the kids the good news.
Now earlier on that evening I had had to pull Jacob up about the state of his bedroom floor. (Those who know me from my own childhood will be detecting a fairly hypocritical poacher turned gamekeeper thing going on here.) My parting words on this occasion were along the lines of, "Next time I enter your room all this mess will be picked up." (Oh how my parents must be reminiscing to those words!) So confident that Jacob would be happy to see me with my happy news I enter his bedroom. To find not one thing has been lifted up or put away.
Now when I was a nipper this would have been because the first thing I picked up was a book or comic. I'd start reading it, I can not help myself when it comes to words on a row, and time would be suspended until my mum caught me loafing about.
Jake was doing his homework; which made it hard to be really cross. So I told him he was ungrounded on the understanding that the floor was clean next time I came in his room.
So next I enter Katies room. Now her room was tidy, and without being told, and Katie was busy doing some clay modelling for her art homework. I tell her her grounding is lifted to which she replies, "Can I stay grounded please?" My jaw hits the floor. It turns out that she does not want any distractions from her homework. I swear she is not normal!