Apparently I’m too polite. At least when I’m disciplining my children. Now, maybe some of you are thinking, “I’ve seen you discipline your kids, and polite isn’t the word I would use.” Well, mind your own business. This is my blog, not yours. (Kidding.)
Anyway, I know that I’m too polite because of an experience I had with my two year old today. No, this didn’t come when I was yelling at him for the fiftyhundredeth time (a number my five year old made up) to stay on the naughty step. This actually came when I was snuggling him before his nap.
I don’t often snuggle him before naptime (another thing to feel guilty for because his older sister always got rocked to sleep. More of that later in therapy…). But today I did. Why? Well…I was tired. I was tired of arguing with him, and lying down on the floor for a few minutes with my eyes closed sounded like heaven. I’ve snuggled with him in the toddler bed before and it just KILLS my hips. Anyway…
About the time he actually thinks I’m asleep, he starts chatting (yes, this is where I get to the point of the post). And I hear him say something he’s probably heard me say, well, about fiftyhundred times, “I beg your pardon. Why don’t we go sit on the naughty step?”
First of all, quite hilarious coming out of the mouth of a 2 year old boy. Quite.
But then I start thinking, if this what I sound like to him when he’s in trouble, no wonder why he doesn’t take me seriously. I’ve made it sound more like he’s made an error in etiquette at an afternoon tea, rather than knocked his baby brother over the head with his plastic truck. (Aren’t we glad they did away with the metal trucks of our youth! Although I could do without the adult-proofed battery compartments.)
Now, I’m not saying that I should go out and out postal on the little darlings, but some authority in my voice that communicates that a wrong has been committed is perfectly valid, and necessary. He actually needs to realize that what he has done is not only wrong, but unacceptable in civilized society (as civilized as our home is, anyway.) If he doesn’t take me seriously now, I don’t stand a chance when he’s a teenager.
And don’t worry that I’ll go overboard and sound terribly angry (most of the time, anyway). If I do, I’ll know it. I’m sure I’ll hear it coming out of his mouth within the week.
I know what you mean, the things our kids can repeat back to us can make you take a step back and say “Is that the way I say that particular sentence, does it sound that bad or that funny??” Our kids remind us I believe, that they hear us, oh they definitely hear us! sometimes the reality of what they do teach us is astounding. I think it’s always helpful to really listen, it’s amazing how much they teach us!!!
Hey Crazy Lady
Yes, I can imagine the funny things you’ve heard parroted back to you. 
Jake is all about repeating everything everyone says, particularly his big sister. It’s funny how he repeats things until he hears the right inflection coming out of his mouth! Very entertaining.
I’m getting the incredulous “huh??!?!?!” parroted back to me now. I had NO idea I was saying that so much but I guess I’m often speechless at some of kiddo’s requests.
What gets me now is the, “In a minute” response I get now when I ask them to do something. I mean, I know I say it a lot, but I’m the MOM!!! And I just look at him like, “Who do you think you are, dude?” And he smiles and laughs.
“No, mommy, YOU go timeout! Two minutes!“