Shuey didn’t want to act up, she knew that — but too often, he needed her help to ensure that he didn’t

W

hen Chava glanced at her watch and noted that the boys had been playing peacefully for five whole minutes, she offered a silent thanks to Hashem — along with a quick prayer that she at least get to finish her chapter.

It was not to be.

“No, stupid, you’re not allowed to do that!”

“Yes, I am! We always play like that!”

“That’s the baby way to play! What are you, a baby?”

“What are you? You always change the rules when you’re not winning.”

“I’m not changing the rules! Read the rules, dummy!”

And Chava looked up just in time to see Shuey swipe the game pieces off the chess board.

“Shuey! Now you clean it up!”

“Why should I?” Shuey said as he stalked off.

Chava closed her book and jumped up. She looked back at the couch and sighed; she’d need to find her place again later. There was no time to go back for a bookmark now, when Shuey was in this kind of mood. The only way to stop him from bothering his siblings when he was bored was to play with him. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see him walking over to Mindy. All she needed was for Shuey to decide to kidnap Mindy’s doll, and Shabbos afternoon was over.

She got up and walked to the game closet, trying to decide what to play. Something long, but not endless. Something private, so Shuey wouldn’t tire of waiting for his siblings to take their turns.

That was Shuey’s problem. He got into trouble when he was restless and looking for something to do. He needed to be busy, busy all the time. It was exhausting, trying to keep ahead of him, but that’s just what it was like, parenting a kid like him. He didn’t want to misbehave, Chava knew.

She called to her son.

“Come, Shuey, Othello?”

“Why does he get to play with you after he just messed up my game?” Menachem cried. “If I messed up his game, he’d beat me up, and you’d tell me to clean it! It’s not fair!”

Chava bit her lip. What choice did she have? Shuey didn’t want to act up, she knew that — but too often, he needed her help to ensure that he didn’t. She’d make it up to Menachem later.