Whoever said raising a son is easy hasn’t met my boy. The little prince (and I use that term loosely as of late) is about to turn nine years old. He is apparently at “that” age. You know the one, were he likes to test the adults to see what all he can get away with. Every week there is a note from his teacher…your son did _________ today. So, his father asked me recently if I believed we should consult a child psychologist for all of his bad behavior.
Most of the problems at school are simple mischief. I get that he has to follow the rules at school and there should be consequences if he doesn’t. But I also know that double jeopardy is against the law, so I usually don’t punish him a second time if the offense is minor. I told his dad that he is just being a boy. Boys cause mischief…boys test the limits.
Until last week, when he was caught in the act of throwing toilet paper (not clean, dry tp, use your imagination) in the boy’s restroom at school. I received an email from his teacher where she informed me the little prince had lost his field day privileges and had she sent him to the principal, he likely would have been suspended. UH OH! This went a little past the simple mischief I had so recently convinced his father he was guilty of. So, now the prince has been grounded. No TV, no video games, no computer time and, thanks to his father, an earlier bedtime. My son is bored out of his mind and driving me a little tiny bit crazy. I am seriously wondering who is suffering the most here, the prince, or me.
I can live through this, and hopefully there will be no psychoanalysts in either of our future. I have one tiny message for my son; he is messing with the wrong Mama. I know all the tricks, I have the t-shirt. There are very few things I didn’t pull as a child (with the glaring exception of throwing dirty toilet paper in the school restroom.) I also have a vivid imagination and a wealth of resources which to draw from for punishments if need be. Don’t mess with Mama!
Guest Author Theresa Hesse is full time mom of two rambunctious children, full time employee, part time student and devoted to her family and friends. Being a tiny bit insane helps juggle everything!! Theresa enjoys writing, sewing and music. Her dislikes include sorting socks, yardwork and scratchy blankets.
Leave a Reply