Are you KIDDING me?!
So I had planned to write a post today about all the fun I had with @aprilshowrs this past weekend. How we cracked out on History Channel for HOURS. How we found the Vera Bradley store at Park Meadows and I could have stayed there for hours. How I wore stupid shoes downtown for dinner on Friday and ended up walking barefoot from the restaurant and almost froze my tootsies off. How I put her ass to work in my kitchen on Saturday cooking Chicken Enchiladas and PW Chocolate Sheet Cake. OR how I subjected her to a family gathering on Sunday during which she looked a little overwhelmed a couple of times. We had a blast and I can’t wait for the TNT 1/2 in June to hang out with ALLLLLLL my hookers!
That has all been overshadowed by the fact that my son is a dumbass. On Wednesday at lunch he APPARENTLY thought it was a GRAND idea to fling food. He was asked once to stop, but obviously they were just kidding, right? Wrong. He flung it again and got his punk-ass written up. When Cat picked him up after school his teacher was NOT happy. She informed Cat he and Carter had an appointment with the Principal Thursday after school to discuss further action.
Cat was, needless to say, PISSED. He got home and yanked the tv, dvd player, radio, leapster and ds out of CD’s room. When I got home we had a long discussion about appropriate behaviour inside and outside the home as well as dealing with peer pressure and such. All night anytime he would ask to do something or say he was bored he was met with “Then go read or clean your room”. The Principal decided NOT to meet with them yesterday, but CD DID have to write “I will not fling food” about 20 times. We haven’t decided yet how long he will be grounded or when to slowly start reintroducing privileges.
Any suggestions on other things to make sure this lesson sticks? How long should he be grounded? Are there any really good books or videos that help get this point across about peer pressure? HELP!
I am not an expert so no wonderful advice here. I do think it’s important for kiddos to understand the difference between privileges (which must be earned) and rights (as part of your family), so there’s no harm in making him earn those things back.
I think the actual act of throwing the food isn’t really the offense, it’s really the fact that he’s not listening and obeying since they actually asked him not to do it – which in our house is pretty much the only job a kiddo of that age has so that’s a pretty big deal. Luckily it’s pretty broad so a lot of things fall into that job, but that’s a whole other Oprah.
Everyday when I drop off B for school I ask her what her job for the day is and she says “Listen and obey”. When things go wrong (because they always do at some point) it’s easy to point back to our agreement and she can see that the reason for the punishment is not doing her job. Kinda like a mini version of the real world.
Anyway, what do I know
<3
A
Angie
January 30, 2010
Glad you gals had so much fun!!
So is CD following in his parents’ footsteps? Hee hee. I would definitely make him earn his things back… He is only 6, so nothing too drastic.
Melissa Anderson
January 29, 2010
Yeah, I like the idea of making him earn his stuff back.
And we still had an awesome time! Miss you!!
April
January 29, 2010
Ugh. Sorry that this has overshadowed your awesome time with April. I have no advice. Well, maybe have him do something extra each day to prove he can keep his shit together and then once a week let him earn something back.
Kirsten
January 29, 2010