Let's Take Our Chances and See If Mom Forgets

Okay. I TRY to follow through with my threats. Most of the time I do. But do you ever make those threats and then regret them later? Like, "if you get any more snacks out without asking you're not getting desserts for an entire week." And then they do it again and you have to follow through. For an entire week! For a whole week you have to hear them scream and whine after every meal because they don't get dessert.

Well, my most recent one happened yesterday. Sometimes when I'm trying to go somewhere I load everybody in the car and THEN gather everything up for the bag, pee, get my shoes, brush my hair, etc. I can do it so fast when they are all in the car. (I have an attached garage so there is no danger here.) Sometimes they are just fine sitting there, and other times I hear lots of screaming coming from the garage.

Yesterday it was the fighting and screaming. Most of the time I just ignore it. I'm not there and don't have to deal with it really, so what do I care? But yesterday I get in and it's this. "Mommy....Mackenzie kicked me...." The tattle-tale speaks. What's a mom to do? We're already backing out. Time out's not an option. Spanking's not an option. So I have to take away privileges. I tell her she can't watch any TV the next day. I'm cringing as I say it. That's more punishment for me than it is for her! So you know what she says? "Well, you MIGHT forget."

I'm dying at the ramifications of this. This is not the first time she has said this to me. They have figured me out and they are manipulating the system! Me being the system! The truth is, I might forget, or I might follow through with it, or I might regret the threat and then SAY I forgot, rather than admit I'm not following through. I know. Terrible. Against everything the parenting books say. Consistency is key, blah blah blah. So what did I do? I "forgot." (Wink. Wink.) It was just such a long day and the babies were really difficult. I couldn't deal with yet another difficult child. Oh well - at least I admit it. I'm still a good mom.

Now I have to go. I'm late as an honored guest at the wedding of Kitty and Mousey.