Shaun's been more difficult than normal recently. I don't know if it's because he's getting to an age where he's testing my boundaries (again - he did this around age 4, too) or if he's getting some of his attitude from peers at school. Perhaps it's a combination of many things. In any case, it's upsetting. Craig and I really try our best to model manners and politeness when speaking or doing. We think our example is more effective than lectures in most cases.
Shaun, though, has just been just a wanker. Last night he absolutely did not want a bath. It had only been 2 days but now that warmer weather is here and he's playing outside more and sweating, I think that a bath every day would be preferable but I'll settle for every other. He threw himself on the floor of his bedroom and cried big, crocodile tears. After a few minutes of listening to that along with him asking me why he had to take a bath when I had clearly explained the reason to him at dinner and then again when I called him upstairs, I'd had enough. I gave him to the count of 3 to get undressed and into the tub or he was going to get a swat on his behind. True to his personality where he loves to torture himself, he somehow had difficulty taking off his shirt of all things and ran out of time. That earned him a swift hand to his bum and straight into the tub he stomped. I washed him as quickly and efficiently as I could so that the torture of the bathtub wouldn't be drawn out and then the little shit got ANGRY when I told him to stand up so I could wrap him in a towel to take him out because he wanted to stay in longer.
Once he got out of the tub it was a long, drawn out battle for him to get dressed in his jammies but I held my tongue and didn't say a word. I continued helping Ian with his jammies and we picked a story to read together. Once he realized a story was involved, Shaun was sweet as pie: all smiles and crooning, "thanks for the bath Mom." I wasn't fooled. Shaun had to sit quietly in his top bunk while Ian and I read together in the bottom. Once we finished and I was tucking Ian in, I heard a shy, "sorry, Mom" muttered from above. I let him know that I was grateful for the apology and assured him that it was the right thing to do but also reminded him of his behaviour and said an apology now won't make up for how he was acting before. Then Shaun announced through sobs that I had made him cry because he wasn't allowed to sit with us for the story even though he was being good and had thanked me for the bath. I climbed the ladder to talk with him and again he was going through the motions of apologizing for his behaviour in the tub, adding in the request for a story on account of his recent good behaviour.
I kissed him goodnight and said that he can start a new day in the morning and hopefully his behaviour will earn him a story tonight. The only thing that's on his side is that it isn't a bath night.
4 comments:
Sorry to tell ya, it doesn't get much better! LOL. I thought once we got through age 3 then surely the behaviour would be better because he would be older, wiser, and more mature. Nope. I said the same thing at age 5, 6, and 7. We are now approaching 8 and I'm dealing with sauciness, and stubborness, ungratefullness, and all manners have gone out the window. We have not raised him to be like this. I know it's a boy thing, it's a peer influence thing, and an age thing, but it's sooooo frustrating. He can be an angel child and a devil child all in a matter of minutes. Fun times.
ugh...I commented under the wrong name. It was me who posted the above.
Ah. look what I have to look forward to. At least he;s obviously a clever boy.
Oh, thank God someone else has the same struggles as I do (and refers to them in the same way, LOL). Michelle, I swear it MUST be the oldest kid. India does EXACTLY the same thing...stomps around, throws a fit, then "apologizes", when the other 2 get something like a story while she's up in her room, whining. I'm pretty sure I'm not nearly as patient as you are though, she pushes my buttons, to the point I'd happily turn around and strangle her(no, I wouldn't...don't worry).
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