Tired & Grumpy, a photo by here we wander on Flickr.
Please tell me what happened to my cute and cuddly little boy. Because all he's been lately is smart-mouthed, defiant, and down right mean.
I think part of it comes from summer. It's less structured for all of us, so he's starting to get a little restless. He's also been home for quite some time now, instead of off on his usual one-on-one adventures with grandparents where he is allowed to be spoiled and selfish.
It apparently also is just in his nature. He is the big brother, so I expect some teasing and taunting. That comes with the territory, right? But the last few weeks, he's just been mean. And he's been in trouble more than not.
Let's see ... his first major offense was locking his little brother in the closet. Yes, one morning I woke up to loud banging. When I got up to see what was going on, he was perched on his footstool right in front of his closet doors, sitting there holding them closed while one of his little brothers banged and screamed from inside. I cannot tell you what big brother would have done if I had locked him in there, in the dark, by himself. He would have screamed the house down if he were the one trapped.
There's also the mouth. His mother certainly knows a thing or two about sarcasm (I'm sure Grandma and Grandpa at the lake are chuckling as we speak). But the boy has taken to a whole new level. Shouting. Storming off with heavy feet. Slamming doors and knocking things over. Angry. Smart-mouthed. Not using the manners we KNOW that he knows - yes mam, no sir, please, thank you.
Sigh.
Now, let's talk about the many (many, many, many) time outs he has to have from the new back yard pool. This one is hardest to understand, because the boy absolutely loves the pool. How can he constantly keep doing things that get him taken out of it? The twins have not enjoyed it nearly as much since he came back home from his adventures. Getting constantly sprayed in the face with water will do that for you. And this kid of mine is awful. He looks - actually looks - to see if anyone is watching him. And if he thinks they are not, he purposefully goes over to one of his brothers and sprays them in the face with a water gun or using his hand to splash water right at them.
Clearly he has not learned that I can see through the windows in the house out to the pool, otherwise I would not be in the house at all while the boys are in the pool. The first few weeks I made them all potty at the same time, but I've learned to trust that they will not drown each other if I hurry one brother in to potty or if I step inside to grab juice or snacks for them to enjoy on the patio (both places are right next to windows over looking the pool area).
The boys gets three warnings - THREE - and still loses privileges. On the third warning he has to get out and get dressed because he is done for the day. The last time I caught him spraying his brother in the face, the very next day after being forced out early and also losing computer priviliges for the next two days, I took his water gun away from him and threw it in the trash can. He broke down in tears, but clearly the other methods are not having the appropriate affect.
Sometimes I want to bang my head against the wall. Sometimes I want to bang HIS head against the wall.
So if anyone sees that cute and cuddly boy, please send him back my way. I'm ready to trade back now.