ok, raise your hand if you ever have this repeated argument with your child:
- you explain to them why a particular action or behaviour is not acceptable because it could cause them to get hurt
- they counter with "but I didn't get hurt"
- you agree, but say the point is that they could get hurt
- they say "yeah, but I didn't"
- and you go round and round like that until you finally end up yelling something stupid like "well those are just the rules around here and if you don't stop arguing I can give you a spanking rather".
someone please tell me what the antidote to this retarded argument is before I lose my mind and continue saying all the "mom" things I swore I would never say...
3 comments:
ha ha ha. (hand raised high). I get all serious and talk about death and how horrible I would feel if my child died from some terrible accident because I let them do something dangerous. I ham it right up with stage tears glistening in my eyes (okay, it's not *all* for show, it's fundamentally true, but I play it up nonetheless). Seems to work. Although some would say I traumatize my children with this method. (J screams *Daddy*!!!! enthusiastically when P-guy turns in the drive at the end of the day, and then runs to the far recesses of the lawn with a panicked look on his face lest he get run over (one of my many phobia's due to P-guys sister).
Anyway, I blame it on me. Cause I love em so much and couldn't stand it if they got hurt. Make myself into a vulnerable damsel in distress and those little jiggers rise right to the occasion of gallantry every time. It's amazing how protective they are over mommy's feelings when you present yourself as weak in an area. Works way better than trying to be controlling and strong. What's that? Manipulating you say? Sometimes a mom's gotta do what a mom's gotta do *evil grin*.
lolol - will TOTALLY try that :)
I also bring out the fact that even though I know they are brave and strong, his brother is not quite as big yet, and is watching every move. (or other children at the playground or what-have-you).
Being a role model comes with responsibility, and if they want to be grown up enough to do the fun stuff that big kids get to do, I need to be able to trust him and know that he will obey because he wants to please Jesus and because he knows it's the right thing to do.
maybe that won't help yet, but it might...
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