And I feel bad for complaining - that's not normal for me, really. I've really had it with Buddy right now. He complains from morning to night about *something*. He doesn't want to go to school, he doesn't want to do his homework, he doesn't want to clean his room, and it goes on and on.
In addition to the complaints are the blatant disregard for obeying me. When we get home from school, he always wants a snack. I say fine, "But then change your clothes." I don't like him to play in his uniform clothes because those have to hold up until he outgrows them.
Many times, I'll go back to check on him and he's still in his uniform - long after the snack is finished.
Tonight, he had a nose bleed, which is not unusual. The Evil Twin and I both suffered from nose bleeds as children and it's just one of those things. But, it started right before dinner and the whole time (in between general whines) he kept saying he was hungry. Well, bud, I'm sorry, but you will have to wait it out on the nose bleed.
When it was finished and he'd eaten, I asked him to please get started on his homework (he should have started much earlier, but the nose situation put us behind). Soooo, I go back to get Sissy's stuff ready for her bath and I have some things to put in Buddy's chest of drawers. I go in and he's eating a popsicle! I asked, "Are you doing your homework?" (he never does his homework in his room) and he says, "No, I'm having a snack." RIGHT AFTER DINNER!
I'm not exaggerating when I say I went off. All I ask is that he follow directions. I don't think that's so tough. And, I think he should probably eat more at dinner if he still feels a need to snack within a half hour of the meal.
He's a smart kid, he just doesn't listen. I'm sure I'm not the only mom who has to deal with this... It's silly, really, for me to gripe about it, but I wanted to get it off my chest. Phew. Thanks for listening to me whine. I promise it won't happen often.
Sounds like he is testing his limits.
ReplyDeleteStick with your guns and show him who is boss.
Kids can have some pretty strong willpower.So be prepared!
My niece would be asked to do things several times until her parents would finally yell at her to do something and then she would look all hurt and say, "You don't have to yell." and stomp off to do whatever it was they wanted. Often it was something that would take mere minutes to accomplish. They do love to test the limits.
ReplyDeleteHe's asserting his authority - or what he hopes will be authority. Let him know who is boss.
ReplyDeleteHoney, I hear ya. I know I've heard you say it before but Buddy's a smart kid. I'm not going to tell you all kinds of bull crap like "he needs more control of his environment", it's not my style. Really bright kids are notoriously hard on their mothers. They cause us all kinds of extra work (like being UBER consistant and constantly reenforcing punishment). It's a total PITA to have to constantly be the bad guy and say stuff like "you didn't ask before you got into the popsicles again so you owe me a dollar from your allowance" and mean it like 30 times a day.
ReplyDeleteI feel for you hun, hang in there, I understand!
Wait - I thought that's what blogs were for?
ReplyDeleteI recall going thru that w/my younger stepson in grade 6. I had trouble getting him to buckle down too. Finally, I let him have a cup of hot Ovaltine while he did his homework. It made him feel more grown up or something to have that hot drink in a coffee cup on his desk while he worked, lol! (Yes, I served hot Ovaltine way back before the commercial ;) But no candy, cake, etc. to go w/it.
ReplyDeleteHowever, there wasn't anything on the market to get him to clean his room!
With the niece, it was third grade (when the teachers stopped being warm sweet storytellers and suddenly piled on homework galore, made the kids keep up with their own stuff, and stopped including notes for the parents on homework and daily school needs).
ReplyDeleteAnd No Celery Please is right, this is exactly what blogs are for.
Yep, I agree...it is about limits and asserting his independence...if he can. He is 10...I had 3 ten year olds....you'll have 2. I am 63 so there is hope!
ReplyDeleteWow...we are going thru all that with a 7 year old now..guess this doesn't change from one generation to the next. ...and this too will pass!! hahahaha
ReplyDelete