siblings – Page 2 – Writes for all Mommies

Two Steps forward, One Bike Ride Back

05/10/2015 WFAM

I know as a mom, there is an unwritten rule that you shouldn’t compare your kids. It’s like apples to oranges, right? Yes and no. If all you have known in your parenting history are the actions and behaviors of your firstborn, how can you not apply this knowledge to your second kid?

If you’ve ever read any of my early posts about raising my boys, you know that they both were incredibly stubborn and highly active children. The good news is that while they remain stubborn at their core, they are thankfully a lot more compliant and much more pleasant to live with. These behavior changes came over a period of several years and after lots of hard, consistent disciplinary work from my part. At around the second grade, Full Speed completely transformed. He became a delight to be around. He developed manners and empathy. While he still has spurts of insane, high-energy, they are much easier to handle. Naturally, I thought that once T.Puzzle hit second grade the same would ring true for him. I waited and waited, and then I waited some more. Manners? Nope. Being compliant? Not so much. Having a filter? Not on your life.

His behavior baffled me. I did all the same things I did with Full Speed, so why wasn’t it sinking if for T.Puzzle? After a while I began to realize that, wait a minute, they actually are quite different kids. While Full Speed remained vocal and independent at school, T.Puzzle kept to himself. Full Speed’s confidence certainly won the respect of his teachers, but T.Puzzle’s quiet nature won them over completely. Where Full Speed sometimes didn’t get ‘outstandings’ in conduct, T.Puzzle was bringing them home left and right like nobody’s business. Yet, when he return home from school again, he would be that flip little loose cannon who does not like to be told what to do. At home, this is where Full Speed shined.

Okay, I get it, these guys are opposites in some regards. They have to mix it up to keep me on my toes. I let it go and focused on being grateful that most of the time, away from me, T.Puzzle was a pretty well-behaved kid. Then, it happened. There was this shift in him. He has started to remember his manners more, he does things the first time he’s told with less commentary and he actually offers to share things with others on occasion. I noticed something subtle the other day, too. I snuggled up to him on the couch and instead of me putting my arm around him, he put his arm around me. He even began to absently pat me on the back. Exactly like Full Speed does when he is ‘taking care’ of mom.

To help encourage this new-found growth and maturity, I sent T.Puzzle to his friend’s house by bike. He did so good. He called me when he got there and called me to let me know he was on his way home. When I greeted him by the garage I was so proud of him.

“Mom, my helmet feels weird.”

“Uh, that’s because you are wearing it backwards.”

It’s not a perfect system, folks. Not by a long shot.

children, family, humor, kids, motherhood, parenting

Living Arrangements

29/01/2014 WFAM

Gathered at the breakfast table we began to discuss how awesome our dogs are. Full Speed said that because our dogs are so awesome that he will definitely have dogs when he grows up. I turned and asked T.Puzzle if he would have dogs when he was grown.

“I’m probably just going to live with Full Speed when I’m older,” he said.

“I guess that means you’ll have dogs, then,” I said.

“Well, maybe I’ll just live with you instead…”

Awww!

“…until you pass away.”

Wait? What?!?

children, family, humor, kids, motherhood, parenting

298

19/01/2014 WFAM

It is only a recent development that I am now comfortable taking my boys to the grocery store. It’s not without challenges. Since the Superbowl is approaching, they tend to participate in imaginary football games using all the displays that advertise this big game. It doesn’t seem to bother them that they are the only ones in the whole store running passing patterns and/or blocking for their brother as he runs to the freezer section which is the designated end zone. I found the best way to combat these football antics is to give them actual permission to run plays before we head inside. Somehow, if your Mom says ‘2 imaginary field goal attempts are acceptable’, they suddenly lose their charm (see previous post Parenting 101).

I have also found it helpful if I have the boys participate in the task at hand. They alternate between being the cart pusher and my assistant. The cart pusher generally endangers himself and all other patrons in the store. Any sort of food display is at risk as well. I tend to apologize to my fellow shoppers or praise them for their mad dodging skills. As for the displays? I often wish I was on the grocery store payroll for the number of ‘clean-ups in isle such and such’ that I have hastily done as my boys knock over yet another stack of food items.

This past week I had T.Puzzle as my assistant with a new recipe in hand and Full Speed was my cart pusher. It was going fairly well except for an unfortunate, crushing turn that Full Speed had made. Luckily, all that suffered were some coffee filters. We regrouped and headed to the next isle. Since I hadn’t made a Target run all week, I also had to get some basic household items which I relayed out loud to Full Speed. I then checked my text messages to see what Mad Dog needed from the grocery. I told Full Speed those items as well. I then checked in with T.Puzzle and we went over the recipe and he set out to get the final ingredients.

As we turned the last corner our cart was so laden with food and other various products, Full Speed could barely push it. I made him stop as I went over my lists, rechecked my text messages and tried in vain to make sure I had everything I needed.

“I sure hope I got everything,” I said as I eyeballed the mound in our cart.

“Mom, you have to remember like 300 things! I think it’s okay if you forget one or two of them,” Full Speed said.

That goes for all of you reading this, too. Just as my boys will inevitably simulate a sport while shopping, it’s inevitable that as parents, we are going to forget something along the way. Keep it in perspective. Look at the 298 things you DID remember. Now, go kick a field goal!

children, family, humor, kids, motherhood, parenting

Doors

01/12/2013 WFAM

There’s something about the doors of our home that make my boys feel the need to slam them on a daily basis. This leads to some very heart-stopping moments as you hear the whiz of the door at unexpected times. You hope as it slams into place that no fingers or hands go with it. So, it did not surprise us as we sent our extremely energetic guys outside, that we heard a thud followed by the keening cries of Full Speed. Upon further investigation, T.Puzzle had slammed Full Speed’s fingers in the doorway leading outside. Since my patience was near zero with him already (that’s another blog post for another day), I got very angry even though it was ‘accidental’. He had to be sent swiftly away to his room for his own safety. Eventually I calmed down and realized Full Speed’s fingers were thankfully intact. I then allowed T.Puzzle to come back downstairs.

“I’m sorry I got so mad at you. I realize that it was an accident and we all make mistakes sometimes.”

“It really was an accident, Mom.” T.Puzzle’s voice quavered and his eyes were rimmed with tears. “I just wish you would have told me to be more careful with the door and then it never would have happened.”

And, just like that he was faultless. In fact, not only was he faultless, he was actually an injured party in this debacle as well.

I may not agree with his logic, but I respect it. Something tells me this kid would do well in a court of law.

children, family, gratitude, humor, kids, motherhood, parenting

5,000

25/11/2013 WFAM

I’m noticing a trend. In many ways, life with Full Speed and T.Puzzle is becoming much more pleasant. Even though they are off school for a whole week for Thanksgiving, I didn’t even bat an eye. I took them to the store today and I had zero anxiety about it. If you know me it all, that is a near miraculous statement. Of course, I still have rather unusual conversations with them before we enter any place that is of public domain.

“Your decisions in the store will determine whether or not you will be spending a large amount of time in your rooms or not once we return home. I am only going to give you one warning. Next time I have to speak to you about your behavior, you will have to go to your rooms as soon as we get home.”

“But, Mom,… is that one warning total or is that a warning a piece for each thing we do? Like, ‘Calm down!’, ‘Be quiet!’, ‘Don’t kick your brother!'” Full Speed had quite a list.

At this point I was only half-listening as the list went on and on. “I don’t know, Full Speed. I just don’t know.”

“Mom, what if T.Puzzle and I came up with 5,000 different ways to get in trouble? Is that equal to 5,000 warnings? What would you say to that, Mom?”

“I would say you are very talented.”

He grinned and chuckled.

Thankfully, we didn’t even crack the top ten.