Thursday, April 23, 2009

Half-pint Designates"Naughty Day"...

The title pretty much says it all... my kids apparently got a memo about Monday being "naughty day". I was not so fortunate to get that memo. I knew it was going to be bad when Half-pint earned himself a time-out by 8:30 in the morning. I can't even remember what he did-but it was obstreperous enough to spend some time on his bed. His second (or was it the third?) time-out came after he threw toys at my visiting teachers-just a mere couple hours later. After my sweet visiting teachers left, we had lunch and nap time for Quarter-pint, along with "quiet time" for Half-pint. He stayed in his room for an hour, but that didn't quell his naughty nature. He ended up with at least four trips to his bed for time-out (I had honestly lost track by the end of the day), not including the quiet time. I couldn't take my eyes off him-not for a second (literally)! The last time-out trip I told him if he got one more he would stay on his bed until Daddy got home. That seemed to have some impact because he straightened up a little.

Quarter-pint got in on the action too, mostly by screaming "MOM" at me if I wasn't holding him, and being generally disobedient-all day. Despite all the unruliness, I was really proud of myself for keeping my cool-the entire day. I talked with Half-pint about it a little as I was tucking him in bed.
"Are you proud of me for not getting mad today?" (I certainly was!)
"Yeah, but I just want you to calm down so I can have what I want!"
It was a good thing he was already in bed!

First thing the next morning, Half-pint was at it again. I knew I didn't have any calm left in me and quickly nipped his bad behavior in the bud...
"Remember what a bad day we had yesterday? Remember how I didn't get mad?...that's not going to happen today-so can you be good today because I don't think I can not get really mad today, okay?"
"Okay Mom , so I don't spend all day on my bed? I be good today so I can watch Scooby-Doo?" (his current favorite cartoon)
"That's right-let's have a better day today."
"Okay. I watch Scooby-Doo!!!"
We had a much better day-(it certainly helped that Half-pint went to preschool all morning) at the zoo with Aunt C2 and cousin L!

1 comment:

San Diego Spendloves said...

You are a much better Mom than me. I enjoyed reading about it and glad that other kids aren't angels either.