 |
| Jonathan has the high kick! |
This was not the first time Jonathan (5) has had to do the pushups, but I think the first for Michael (8). I did not witness their misbehavior since I was sitting outside on a bench reading. Michael came and got me and said I have to come inside. I hate that. I feel like I'm the one in trouble. So therefore, pushups were not all they were going to have to suffer through.
On the way home I asked them to tell me what happened. They each in turn told me they couldn't remember, however, Jonathan re-enacted Michael with a big sigh and rolling eyes to a tee (which translates to disrespect to the instructor when given instructions), and I already had a hunch what Jonathan had done (his usual loud antics and messing around probably).
After I got the information, I did not follow up with the usual...umm, yelling and lecturing..., but I calmly informed them there would be no electronics in their future until Friday. This included TV, XBOX, computer games, and hand-held devices.
Oh, my gosh, you would have thought I said I wouldn't feed them for two weeks. They started arguing and debating why the consequence was going to be so horrible. I then calmly informed them that they were about to lose all speaking priviledges too. I'm not sure how I was going to enforce that so I was glad they suddenly got quiet. I went ahead and gave them the lecture the rest of the way home, just to clarify why they were getting the consequence they were getting.
So for the last few days, my house has been extremely quiet. I myself have had to refrain from turning on the TV during the day since I told them the only time they would be allowed to watch was if daddy or I were watching something but that they could not request anything. So they have had to get their TV fix from the news in the evening. (We couldn't watch Myth Busters, though, or several other shows on Discovery or History Channel since they actually like those shows too much.)
It was nice. We worked puzzles, the boys played with the Erector set and Legos, they built a fort in their room, they composed a song on the piano, they looked at and read books, and they laid on the couch looking at the ceiling or took a nap. It all reminded me of the way we used to entertain ourselves as kids. We had to get creative sometimes. Of course there was always the little complaint now and then of "I'm bored" for which they got to do more pushups.
Today the TV and XBOX are back on. I'm a little sad. Unfortunately, their behavior and attitude at Taekwando last night were perfect. They both gave 100% without complaint. So I'm having to watch for another chance to give them the consequence again.
I doubt I will have to wait too long. They are boys.
