This morning it's cold and rainy and I sent the boy to school with no coat while wearing a t-shirt and shorts that are too big for him. In fact he has to hold them up as he walks just to keep them from falling off.
Our morning routine has been a lot better. He has more stars on the calendar than not. But that doesn't mean that we aren't immune to the occasional bad morning and today was bad morning.
When after two timers and several warning he was still in his pajamas I told him he had 15 minutes before we left and he would be going to school in what ever state he was in. I encouraged him to hurry and even packed his bag and lunch for him. All he had to do was get dressed and get a coat. He did get dressed but spent the next 10 minutes trying to find just the right belt and coat. He couldn't find what he wanted and was unsatisfied with any of the alternatives I offered . . . so he went to school with no coat and shorts that wont stay up.
I have officially turned into the evil mother who sends her child to school in the rain with no coat. I'm pretty sure this is going to backfire like most of my discipline does.
There's no school tomorrow, it's teacher prep day or something, which is good because I think we need the weekend to regroup.
Updated to Add: I totally caved. I went and took him a pair of pants and a coat. I think that makes me even worse. Now I'm an evil mom who caves under the pressure of guilt.
Visual Anarchy: My increasingly chaotic trip to insanity.
4 comments:
You're not evil. Letting the boy dress himself, giving him all those warnings, that's just asking for trouble. The problem is, Brig doesn't have the proper sense of urgency. There just isn't time in the morning to 'pick' a belt. Earlier this week Duncan went from unconscious in bed to walking through the school door in less than fifteen minutes. There are those who might say I am an evil mom for giving him so little time, but he had his lunch in his backpack, he ate breakfast on the way (which he always does anyway) and he WASN'T late. I think that makes me a rather incredible mom, and I think you're an incredible mom too. After all, Brig did make it to school without any bruises (right?).
I recently took my kid to the park in 40 degree weather in a dress with no socks or coat for the very same reason. I did not cave but felt like a heel when several strangers asked her where her coat was and she said, "My mom wouldn't let me wear it."
You are awesome! I think that teaching your kids the true consequences of their actions is great parenting. I think even if you brought his jeans and jacket later, the morning incident probably taught him a lesson anyway. Way to go! Our society needs more parents like you. Kids that know they are loved but that some choices have unpleasent consequences that we can't protrect them from. That is so much better than yelling at them like I do to Lincoln when we come to disagreements before school.
I'm a mean mom too. Ask me about how The Kid got an F, because she "misled" me and the teacher..telling us different stories to get away with not doing a huge report. She's grounded till she does it, AND I asked the teacher to keep her in from recess till she hands in the report and the poster.
I asked the teacher to give her an F when she finally hands it in. So even though she's going to spend the next week working on it..she'll still have an F. Because she doesn't deserve any other grade.
I'm a mean mom too. Accountability..Pass It On! ..to your kids!
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