The Lego Movie Video Game is Awesome.

A few weeks back, the boys were lucky enough to have been awarded a grant from the Family Fund -http://www.familyfund.org.uk/, for a games machine. I do feel guilty getting help with buying things for the children, and sometimes feel they have too much for children of their age – both boys have their own tablet computers thanks to Family Fund, and it has help both off them with their fine motor skills and their hand/ eye coordination, but when you hear of their peers parents complaining their kids want I-pads and the likes, it makes you realise how blessed you are that someone has helped give my boys something that not only helps their personal development but also their educational as they feel so comfortable using technology – I have lost count of the times I have asked for help from one or other of them when I get stuck!!!

The boys both have bonding issues with people around them, M more so than D – M has nobody he would call a close friend, where as D has two children that he couldn’t survive without – I would describe D’s ability to make friends like the ripples a pebble dropped in water makes, he is the pebble and those close to him are the immediate ripple and his bonds become more diluted as the ripples become wider. M and D love each other very deeply, and this was seen very clearly when D was in hospital earlier in the year, but they often have problems showing it, to the point of very physical violence when they don’t respect each others personal space. I say to them, that I would never force them to be friends, but they are brothers, and therefore will always have a special bond, because you can’t choose family, and sometimes you just can’t get on however hard you might try!

One thing that has united them though is their love of games on the wii, especially the Lego games. D loves to play them, but gets himself very upset if he isn’t perfect within seconds of playing – we have to set limits of play time, but even then it often results in me switching it off and having him go for a major outburst that is short-lived rather than him simmer into amazing meltdown. Some games M likes to play, such as Skylanders, but on the whole, he would much rather watch D play, and can sit for hours observing rather than participating.

The wii though was getting old, and it was becoming hit and miss as to if it read discs, so the grant from the Family Fund was a godsend, as time on the games console is very much time they spend together. We thought about what system to get them and decided upon the wii-u because it will play the original wii games so we wouldn’t have to buy other formats of those they love!

We didn’t tell the boys about it until the day it arrived, luckily a day Hubby was working from home, so he was able to spend his break setting it up! The boys went mental! They were so excited and couldn’t wait to switch it on!!! That was them for the rest of that day!

One game they were desperate to get was The Lego movie Video Game. They had wanted it since seeing the movie. One of M’s obsessions is watching a guy called Zac Scott on Youtube. He plays various games, and talks through the game play and how he finds the play. He is no expert, and therefore makes mistakes, and shows ways to get out of things. M loves watching him, to the point of if I hear is strained girly laugh, and the expression “Oh my God” one more time, I might just explode! We had ordered the game from a company on Amazon, at the same time as the console, but the game didn’t arrive. Hubby contacted them after giving them the maximum time stated for delivery – 2 weeks seems a ridiculous delivery period when it’s from the UK, and they stated it had been dispatched but lost by the courier!!! Why they couldn’t contact us to say this, or send out another copy,  I don’t know, it would have saved D’s daily screams of anger directed at the postman. Anyway, they refunded our money. When I told D what had happened, he went mad, to the point of not being able to hear as I explained that as they had refunded the money we could go to the shops and buy a copy.

I doubt the staff in Argos have ever had 2 such over excited children in their store! When the lady handed it over the two of them cuddled the box!!!! They took turns to hold it on the way home!

The game went on!

The smile on his face says it all, as he took up position to watch D play.    M rarely has such a natural smile, and even less often keeps it on his face when he sees me try to take a picture of him.    He was so genuinely happy that he glowed.    It was an awesome sight!!

As D played the game, M offered advice from what he had seen Zac Scott do and soon the game was in full swing.

They might not be playing together in the traditional way, but they are bonding in their love of something that means little to me but everything to them.

In our house, as far as all things Lego Movie are concerned, everything is awesome!