Sunday, September 26, 2010

Lessons

Sometimes being a parent is the easiest job on the planet. Like, per se, when they're all tucked so nicely in all of their beds, fresh from the bath, sleeping soundly with nary a fuss or an attitude.

And then they wake up.

With a fuss.

And an attitude.

And being a parent is no longer the easiest job on the planet.

Today has been on the calendar for a month. It has been talked about for a month (or longer). It has been the source of much anticipation and excitement. It was to be a Summer Waves day. For free (thanks to our church renting it out). And since we were able to go only once at the beginning of the summer, we have looked forward to this day for a long, long time.

Especially Buster Boy.

But ye ole Buster Boy has been having a hard time as of late. He's coming into his own and having to figure out who he is separate from Big Sis since those two have been together his whole life. All 3 1/2 years of it. Until she ran off and left him for kindergarten.

Darn school.

We're trying to teach him to man-up (we start 'em early around here) and do things on his own. And he is getting better. He even went on a fishing venture this week all by himself with his buddy - no parents - no siblings. And he LOVED it.

But there are some big things he's still crawling up our legs about and we're just done with it. So he got an ultimatum. His first. Man up or no Summer Waves.

He manned down.

And let me tell you when we set this ultimatum, we never thought he'd choose AGAINST a day at the water park. But he did. And we had to follow through. Even though we had FAMILY plans FOR A MONTH to spend the day frolicking in the water.

So our family plans became 1/2 family plans. Daddy and the girls frolicked at the water park, while Mommy and the boys napped, mourned, and stared at each other in boredom all afternoon.

Jury's still out on if the lesson was learned. We'll find out next week when we run the same scenario. And if he quiver lip/puppy dog eyes me one more time, I'm through. Melt me like chocolate.

It would be so much easier to discipline him if he wasn't so darn cute.


Can you blame me?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

You're right. He is too darn cute. I don't want to have to call Social Services, so go easy on my boy.