When Gavin was in preschool,
we went through a rough time.
we went through a rough time.
It seems that he wanted to play with his buddies
more than he wanted to listen to Miss Jen.
Every day his window (in the "house" of preschool friends) got closed.
That's huge, people.
So I made a deal with him.
If his window got closed,
more than he wanted to listen to Miss Jen.
Every day his window (in the "house" of preschool friends) got closed.
That's huge, people.
So I made a deal with him.
If his window got closed,
his scooter got grounded.
Once again.
That's huge, people.
Day one:
Window closed.
So away went the scooter.
So away went the scooter.
It just so happens that we played outside that afternoon.
Enter whining, crying, and gnashing of teeth.
I'm not sure he realized the severity of his scooter being gone.
It was like a light went off in his brain.
"Oh yeah," he said.
"I'm going to ride this bike then."
Referring to a two wheeled bike (with no training wheels) my parents had given us.
Go ahead!
The words raced through my mind.
Then something crazy happened.
For the next twenty minutes.
He got on.
Fell off.
Got on and rode a bit.
Fell off.
Got on and rode some more.
Didn't fall off.
"Hey! I like this better than my scooter!"
Definite parenting FAIL.
Fast forward to this weekend.
Yesterday Gav broke something.
IN.ANGER.
IN.ANGER.
(gasp!)
That is totally not allowed at our house.
His consequence:
Clean every window in our whole house.
Oh you bet I'm mean like that.
His consequence:
Clean every window in our whole house.
Oh you bet I'm mean like that.
So this morning, he did it.
And half way through he said,
"I really like cleaning these windows! It's fun to spray and it smells really good!"
FAIL.
6 comments:
Hee hee! I'm kinda laughing at you! You definitely should have chosen to make him wash baseboards. Maybe that would have been fun too. Eternal optimists I tell ya!
Wow, he has the saying, "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade" down! Lucky him.....um poor you.
I know it's frustrating sometimes as a parent, but that is an awesome quality for him to have. And I don't think it means you have failed. If anything, you've succeeded as a parent because you've helped him to learn to rise above things and not get discouraged. I think you're an awesome mother!
He taught himself to ride his bike and like cleaning windows?
SUCCESS!
Ha! At least you're trying!
I hate when that happens and they realize they like the punishment. It makes for using our brains just a little more.
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