At the playground some time ago, my three-year-old boy wanted the slide all to himself. He had been playing there for a good 10 minutes all on his own when a couple of kids joined him. I told him to share, then stood back to see what he'd do.
He did not feel like sharing.
He barred the way up the slide. He shouted, "No! My slide! Go away!"
The little girl he shouted at got angry. She stomped her foot, and with one stern finger pointing at Vito's face, she snapped, "You are a very bad boy!"
My Vito looked like he'd been slapped. He ran to me and pointed to the girl, who looked at me in alarm. I said, "Well, Vito, you didn't share the slide. You shouted at them. That's not what a good boy does. She's right. That was very bad what you did."
Vito and the girl looked shocked. Vito's eyes welled up with tears, but I didn't say or do anything. When he realized he wasn't going to get any sympathy from me, he sat quietly beside me. The little girl and her sister played on the slide happily. A few minutes later, Vito stood up, looked at me and said, "I'm sorry, Mama." I hugged him, a big quick hug, nothing too special. "I'm glad you want to play nice. Now go and play." He went to the little girl and said, "Sorry!" And she smiled and then they all played together.
Since that day, we have never had problems with Vito not sharing or not playing nice. He's always been a good boy but he's a kid and he does naughty, selfish, stupid things once in a while. We're pretty relaxed parents but when our kids do bad things, we are quick to correct them. We never let bad behavior slide. We're aware that if you allow just one whine, one mean word, one rude expression, then it's back to square one and sooner than you think, you have a monster living in your house. It's exhausting, this constant vigilance!
You always have to stand up for what is right, even if it means standing up against your own kid.
* * * * * * *
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He did not feel like sharing.
He barred the way up the slide. He shouted, "No! My slide! Go away!"
The little girl he shouted at got angry. She stomped her foot, and with one stern finger pointing at Vito's face, she snapped, "You are a very bad boy!"
My Vito looked like he'd been slapped. He ran to me and pointed to the girl, who looked at me in alarm. I said, "Well, Vito, you didn't share the slide. You shouted at them. That's not what a good boy does. She's right. That was very bad what you did."
Vito and the girl looked shocked. Vito's eyes welled up with tears, but I didn't say or do anything. When he realized he wasn't going to get any sympathy from me, he sat quietly beside me. The little girl and her sister played on the slide happily. A few minutes later, Vito stood up, looked at me and said, "I'm sorry, Mama." I hugged him, a big quick hug, nothing too special. "I'm glad you want to play nice. Now go and play." He went to the little girl and said, "Sorry!" And she smiled and then they all played together.
Since that day, we have never had problems with Vito not sharing or not playing nice. He's always been a good boy but he's a kid and he does naughty, selfish, stupid things once in a while. We're pretty relaxed parents but when our kids do bad things, we are quick to correct them. We never let bad behavior slide. We're aware that if you allow just one whine, one mean word, one rude expression, then it's back to square one and sooner than you think, you have a monster living in your house. It's exhausting, this constant vigilance!
You always have to stand up for what is right, even if it means standing up against your own kid.
* * * * * * *
P.S.
Subscribe to my newsletter
Like me on Facebook
Follow me on Twitter
Follow me on Instagram
Love me on Bloglovin'