Monday, June 30, 2008

It's Hard To Be The Heavy

It was just before bedtime and Todd told the boys they should start cleaning up their toys. They both groaned and headed over to their toy box. Joey began diligently picking up toys and putting them back in their designated spots. Tommy ever so slowly would pick up a toy, look at it, and start to play with it. Todd again reminded him to clean up.

Tommy dropped the toy in the toy box and then began playing with the next toy. This routine continued with each toy that he picked up. I gave him two more reminders to pick up the toys, not play with the them, and that if I had to tell him one more time then he would have to sit on the naughty step.

He decided to test me, ignored my instructions, and kept playing with the toy.

I said, in a very exhausted and annoyed voice, "Alright, that's ENOUGH! Get your BUTT on this naughty step and SIT here until I come to GET you!"

Knowing that I meant business he hurried his little tush over to the step and sat down. When his time was up I called him over to me. I explained that he knew he should have been listening and that for him to ignore what daddy and I told him was not right. He apologized and gave me a big kiss.

"I love you, Thomas" I told him.

"I love you too, mumma" he repeated back to me. And with a big smile, batting his long eyelashes at me and patting my cheek he said, "Now you're back to being a nice mumma!"

37 comments:

Molly's Mom said...

Gotta love the guilt trips. I was the primary parent since husband was out of town last week and I got "you mean, mommy" (where did that come from??). I also got "I hate mommy" (!!!!!), which made me cry and, I think, helped her see that the word is hurtful. And this week, she's back to spontaneous hugs and frequent "I wuv you". I am going to be in sooo much trouble in about 10 more years...

Unknown said...

So, did he go back to being "listening Tommy?" If only it were that easy, right? ; )

Krystyn @ Really, Are You Serious? said...

HaHa! Nice Mumma! That's hilarious! good for you for sticking to your guns!

Sandi McBride said...

I'm sure God put little boys on this earth to test our patience, Katherine! My two did mine all the time...and often got on what I thought was my last nerve...but they always found one more before they got to the last one...who knew? Hugs to Thomas...and Joey, too...
Sandi

Scrappy said...

Hilarious! What a cutie. I wish we could be nice mommies all of the time... maybe when our kids are in their 20's or 30's. :)

ewe are here said...

I'm frequently told I'm the 'mean mommy' here for enforcing naughty step time outs. Lucky they're so darn cute.

Kellan said...

What a darling story!!

Have a good day, Kathryn - see you - Kellan

lime said...

lol, kids...they're too much sometimes!

Anonymous said...

My kids aren't he only ones? Whew! :)

Homegrown Tribe said...

it is hard isn't it. :)

brittany

Putting the FUN in DysFUNctional said...

They know just how to do it, don't they?

Hilary said...

Awww how could you keep a straight face? I love kidlet stories like that. :)

MamaGeek @ Works For Us said...

Oh this parenting gig is something, isn't it? From chaos to bliss in 3.5 seconds! :)

L said...

Awwww that's so sweet!

dawn klinge said...

That is so cute. You did the right thing but it sure can be hard sometimes.

Wendy said...

They sure know how to play you sometimes, don't they?

Very cute. I'm glad you can go "back to being a nice mumma".

EatPlayLove said...

My 4 year old always throws out the, glad you are being nice today mom to me.. I always reply with Today, huh?

Cyndi said...

Grrr... my daughter says things like that.

Unknown said...

Oh if they would only listen and follow the rules, we could ALWAYS be the nice mummas......I'm known around my house as "The Kill Joy" thanks to my husband coining the phrase. Someone has to do it though.....

Anglophile Football Fanatic said...

How do they manage to learn how to manipulate so quickly? It kills me. And, I agree: it sucks to be the mommy who disciplines.

Kristen said...

From one "heavy" to another this was so funny!

Why is it that sometimes it takes the time out before they will actually follow the rules? Whenever will this testing phase be over? When they are 30?

Such a cute story, and thanks for sharing with all of us! :)

Lisa said...

We've been having the same drama at our house....don't you wish those toys would just pick themselves up?

Roxy Wishum said...

Good job. I hope you are still blogging during their teenage years.

Roxy Wishum said...

Good job. I hope you are still blogging during their teenage years.

Roxy Wishum said...

Good job. I hope you are still blogging during their teenage years.

Roxy Wishum said...

Why? Why does it do that when I comment on your blog. I did not mean to yell.

Brittany said...

Ah I hate those breaking moments. I have them all of the time! GRR. We are mean mammas!

Laura said...

They sure melt our hearts, and put fire into our toes!

My 3 year old is all about " I do NOT like Momma". or Dadda, or his brother or sister...

Cheers! Thanks for sharing.

Kelly said...

It's not easy being the bad guy sometimes. Seems like I have days when that's all I am. I get angry with myself on those days!!

OHmommy said...

That is hilarious. I have been told a couple of times that I was a mean momma. Teehee.... only to be hugged a minute later.

Cute.

Anonymous said...

Oh how I hate being the mom and the dad. (Daddy works in a different city during the week, and we only see him on weekends....*sigh*) I'm "mean Mommy" a LOT!!! Oh well. I guess it just means that we're doing our job, right?
Too cute!

Anonymous said...

Aw, adorable. You are clearly doing something right that he is so charming and sweet.

Tonya said...

I agree it's hard.

Tiffany said...

I love the honesty! It definitely is hard being the heavy. And those sweet faces at the end of a time-out... enough to melt the most frustrated of mommy hearts!

Momisodes said...

They learn so quick don't they! I get told, "don't be angry wif me mommy..." And of course, the sentence never ends with daddy :( It's so hard!

Anonymous said...

We have the naughty chair! But he's only 28 months old so not sure if he really understands

just jamie said...

Oh boy. Watch out for that cutie-pie.

Words To Live By

Be grateful for each new day.
A new day that you have never lived before.
Twenty-four new, fresh, unexplored hours to use usefully and profitably.
We can squander, neglect, or use them.
Life will be richer or poorer by the way we use today.
Finish every day and be done with it.
You have done what you could;
some blunders and absurdities crept in;
forget them as soon as you can.
Tomorrow is a new day.
You shall begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be
encumbered with your old nonsense.

-Ralph Waldo Emerson