The kids were in the bathroom telling each other "knock knock" jokes and in general having fun with their siblings. This is unacceptable.
Sample dialogue:
Mom (walking into baño): "I am serious. You have about 15 seconds to be in your bed and you are not to talk to each other, laugh, or make any kind of noise in general. The next person to make ANY noise with their body is _________ (fill in whatever empty threat comes to mind.)"
Strangely, children comply for the most part and they get in bed.
Mom (for good measure yells): "Be quiet. Now."
Child 2
...yells out from her room "YOU be quiet."
Mom: excuse me?
Child 2: Well, you tell us to be quiet, why can't we tell YOU to be quiet?
Mom walks over and closes bedroom door.
So mom contemplates this and asks herself this question "Why can't my children tell me to be quiet? Am I that authoritarian? Can I give them a reason why I need to be quiet? It isn't their fault that I had four kids, that was my choice. Or my husband's, whatever. But why do they need to suffer because I am frazzled?"
Door opens.
Mom: Hey child 2.
Child 2 makes eye contact, no response.
Child 1: I am sorry I didn't listen to you
Child 3: I am sorry mama, I love you
Child 2 no response.
Mom: Why are child 1 and 3 sorry?
Child 2:
Silence.
When they start changing OUR diapers. Then they can tell us to be quiet.
ReplyDeleteI am totally authoritarian when it comes to that kinda stuff. It's cuz I'm the parent. When you are a parent then it's your turn. Snatch!
ReplyDeleteYou can tell them to be quiet and not vice versa for the same reason that you drive the car & they don't. You have a sense of appropriateness & common sense that they don't.
ReplyDeleteDo NOT let your kids start making you think that way. This is how they work!
PS Child 2.... ::sigh::
I did have a conversation with them in the car the next day and I told them "I understand that you feel like you want to ask me questions, but the truth is, mommy and daddy make the rules because it is our house, you know? So you can ask questions sometimes, but the rules are the rules because we buy the food, clothes, beds, etc."
ReplyDeleteBridget responds with "okay. that makes a teeeeeny bit, just a leetle bit mad but I understand."
I said "when you move out you can make all your own rules" (how cliché is that) and she responds with a very loud "yahooo!!!!"
See I am not into filial piety but I am into teaching my kids to respect the owner of a house. Well renter of an apt.
I waited my whole growing up to be the rule make and enforcer and I'm not giving that up yo!
ReplyDeletethese are so funny and so great. Children are our best teachers. love you lots
ReplyDeleteWe were running late for something the other day because I was taking too long to get ready, and Gus(7-year-old) walks in my bathroom and calmly says, "Mom, we've been waiting in the car, we're gonna be late..." and I go, "OK, OK, geez!" and he spins around, points his finger at me and goes, "No, YOU geez!"
ReplyDeleteHe was right. I made them sit out in the and wait for me, and I wasn't even close to being ready. Sometimes, they're right.
The angelic look on her face in that cute picture says it all.
ReplyDelete