All boy.
Sometimes the differences between boys and girls amazes me and yet again, takes me by surprise.
Case in point.
I am currently in the basement scrapbooking. Upstairs the kids play. Contentedly.
However, a few moments ago, a different story was brewing.
L came downstairs to tattle on her brother. Generally this isn't much of a problem at our house, but this time L knew that B had done something that he had gotten in trouble for time and time again.
You see...he has this problem, or should I say compulsion, that causes him to be unable to resist the urge to bend a headband to the point of breaking.
We have had many headbands meet their demise in this house.
Time and time again I have told him not to do it. And then, as if he "forgot", it happens...and another headband ends up in the trash.
The last time this happened I knew that he apparently wasn't getting the point.
(For those of you against spanking, please stop reading now.)
I told B that if he broke another one of his sister's headbands I would have no other choice than to spank him.
End of story.
In his defense, he made it over a month.
However, tonight, the spell was broken and I am currently looking at headband pieces in the trash can. I told L to go upstairs and to send B down here.
He came down, looking sheepish and saying, "I'm sorry".
I will tell you here, and right now, that following through with my stated punishment was hard to do.
I looked at him and said, "I'm glad you are sorry, but you know what I said would happen if you broke another one?"
He nodded.
I stood up and he actually turned around so that his bottom was facing me.... He was ready.
I swatted him and then turned him around to face me.
"Do you understand what just happened and why?"
He said "Yes."
I then asked him what he had to say and he said, "I'm sorry."
He then reached up to hug my neck and I picked him up and held him close to me. No tears...just hugs.
We stayed like that for awhile.
Then I sat him down and he started to head back up the stairs. He paused at the bottom and looked at me and said, "Am I still in trouble?"
I said, "No...that's it. It's over. Just remember the lesson."
He looked at me and smiled and said, "OK"....as he ran quickly up the stairs.
And that was it.
No drama. No tears. No excuses.
Just matter of fact reasoning and acceptance.
That, folks, is how boys are different than girls.
The end.
Case in point.
I am currently in the basement scrapbooking. Upstairs the kids play. Contentedly.
However, a few moments ago, a different story was brewing.
L came downstairs to tattle on her brother. Generally this isn't much of a problem at our house, but this time L knew that B had done something that he had gotten in trouble for time and time again.
You see...he has this problem, or should I say compulsion, that causes him to be unable to resist the urge to bend a headband to the point of breaking.
We have had many headbands meet their demise in this house.
Time and time again I have told him not to do it. And then, as if he "forgot", it happens...and another headband ends up in the trash.
The last time this happened I knew that he apparently wasn't getting the point.
(For those of you against spanking, please stop reading now.)
I told B that if he broke another one of his sister's headbands I would have no other choice than to spank him.
End of story.
In his defense, he made it over a month.
However, tonight, the spell was broken and I am currently looking at headband pieces in the trash can. I told L to go upstairs and to send B down here.
He came down, looking sheepish and saying, "I'm sorry".
I will tell you here, and right now, that following through with my stated punishment was hard to do.
I looked at him and said, "I'm glad you are sorry, but you know what I said would happen if you broke another one?"
He nodded.
I stood up and he actually turned around so that his bottom was facing me.... He was ready.
I swatted him and then turned him around to face me.
"Do you understand what just happened and why?"
He said "Yes."
I then asked him what he had to say and he said, "I'm sorry."
He then reached up to hug my neck and I picked him up and held him close to me. No tears...just hugs.
We stayed like that for awhile.
Then I sat him down and he started to head back up the stairs. He paused at the bottom and looked at me and said, "Am I still in trouble?"
I said, "No...that's it. It's over. Just remember the lesson."
He looked at me and smiled and said, "OK"....as he ran quickly up the stairs.
And that was it.
No drama. No tears. No excuses.
Just matter of fact reasoning and acceptance.
That, folks, is how boys are different than girls.
The end.
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