Ninja Monkey Powers Activate!

This gray dreary Saturday morning began with the affirmation that I did, in fact, give birth to a ninja monkey. The younger child managed to sneak downstairs and help himself to apple sauce, chocolate from HM's desk, and toys from last night's birthday party. There seems to also have been an investigation of the mechanical pencils on HM's desk as well. We haven't yet discovered what else, if anything, the ninja monkey has appropriated as his own. Or what traps may have been set in super secret ninja monkey style (my keys were left on a dish a la Raiders of the Lost Ark pressure plate).

This situation begs the question, which is the better method of protecting oneself and one's child once they are mobile and moderately independent? Do you attempt to keep every and all manner of things hidden away from them and HOPE that they don't merely search deeper for whatever it is they want? Or do you employ the use of tools like a Baby Gate, drawer locks, door latches on cabinets, and so on and so on. We want our children safe AND we want our personal spaces respected. But, do safety precautions invite greater curiosity and, in turn, promote more elaborate attempts at discovery?

Well, we have used, and apparently will be using once again, a baby gate on the weekends in order to maintain a controlled environment.  Saturday and Sunday being the two days of the week where we can "sleep in".  For us, "sleeping in" consisting of sleeping until 7AM or maybe even 7:30 AM as opposed to 6AM.  "Sleeping in" is a foreign concept to our children as they are still young enough to think school is cool and exciting rather than a pain in the rear and dull as dirt.  We do not have to fight our monkeys to get up and get ready for school as they are generally up around the time my alarm goes off.  Sometimes they are kindly enough to BE my alarm by leaving the bathroom light on. 

One day, they will figure out that the baby gate we employ is only precariously latched and if they lift it slightly it will disengage. Hopefully, by the time that day arrives, we will have honed our anti ninja monkey senses to a fine point and will be able to defend ourselves against their ninja monkey skills. Or they will have enough sense to ASK before raiding someone's desk and their own freakin' candy to hide/horde/eat. Either way, we will all have to ban together to thwart the true evil mastermind of the house. Lexi the Cat.

Have a great weekend and check tomorrow for a new strip! I am off to enjoy my coffee and start practicing my anti ninja moves.