Consequences

Yesterday was a day full of consequences for my youngest child.

He is four and I am afraid that being the baby has taken him far. He gets away with a lot and his sweet little boy face often makes me melt into giving in to about whatever he wants.

Lately, though?

I have found he is really, actually, working me.

Manipulating me.

Using that sweet face and some kind words to get his way.

And if that doesn't work, a good ole' fashioned tantrum is next.

So, yesterday we had the day of consequences.

I had dentist appointments scheduled for both of my kids since they were off of school. I scheduled them for 9:40 so we would have plenty of time to hang out in the morning and watch cartoons, eat a leisurely breakfast and get dressed.

As it turned out, we were rushing around anyway. I spent too much time on my computer and by 9:10, I was yelling at the kids to get dressed as I finished getting dressed myself.

I did prepare them that we would be leaving in 15 minutes AND had picked out their clothes. My daughter dressed, brushed her teeth and hair in the allowed time.

My son? He was still in his pj's at 9:20 and playing with his toys in his room.

I told him to get dressed immediately while I loaded up the car or he would go to the dentist in his pjs.

Now, first of all he did not want to go to the dentist. I have made 3 appointments for him only to arrive and he would not even get in the chair. This time I had promised a reward for him but he was still scared. So, part of not getting dressed was to delay this trip. However, most mornings, he is so slow in getting dressed and I just have grown weary of the fight. We always pick out his clothes and have them ready. He just gets distracted very easily.

So, I told him to get dressed again and we would just see how it went at the dentist. Maybe I would let him off the hook again. But he is 4 and I knew that he really needed the dentist to at least look at his full mouth of teeth.

9:30 has come and I am actually past the time where I need to leave the house because the dentist is 15 minutes away.

So, guess who went to the dentist in his Mr. Incredible pjs?

Yes, he did.

And he was not a happy camper.

Oh, we did get some stares from the ladies in the waiting room. Oh, well - just walk a day in my shoes before you judge me.

I did bring his clothes and while his sister was getting her teeth cleaned, we went to the bathroom and changed. We had a little talk about consequences and he actually did let the dentist LOOK at his teeth. Praise!

So, he got a little reward out of this goody box at the dentist: a foam airplane that you have to put together.

He wanted me to put it together right then but I needed to pay for our visits, so I asked him to wait.

He didn't. He opened it and it broke right there in the office - in front of the ladies in the waiting room. He was very sad.

I would not let him have another one and in the car I asked him what just happened.

"A consequence just happened, mommy."

Bummer, buddy.

Now, you would think this would be the end of these consequences for the day. Because that was all before 11 am.

He proceeded to lose television for the day because he turned it on without asking, Webkinz because he would not get off of the computer when I asked and use of the PlayStation because he talked back to me.

By the afternoon and dinner time, it seemed the tests and trials of the day were over. We went to dinner with friends and they commented on how good my kids were behaving! Wow! That. Is. A. Good. Feeling.

I hated to do all that I had to do that day with my little guy, but I also finally determined I cannot have a 4 year old running our life.

We are off of school again today and off to an indoor bounce house. I am hoping the day is full of fun and no "consequences, mommy!"