Crime and Punishment, Part Two

I never did post about the trouble I had with CootieBoy yesterday. Our life group decided to go out to eat after church. The restaurant was nearby, so once I was done breaking down my keyboard I went over to meet them. Denis was in line, carrying CootieBoy. I took CB and headed to the back where everyone was sitting so that Denis could order the food and carry it back. CB didn’t want to sit with me, so I moved him over to the booth where the older kids were sitting. He didn’t want to sit down – he kept trying to go up front to be with Denis. I explained that Daddy needed both hands to carry all the food, and so it was best if he stayed with me. He began to protest – you know, making his body completely limp so I couldn’t carry him or lift him. Then he began talking back to me. At one point he was LAYING on the booth bench and I said to him, “You have to three to sit up, young man.” I began counting, and on three he hadn’t moved, so I flipped him and spanked him lightly on the butt. It very obviously didn’t hurt since it was more like a warning than a punishment. But he began crying loudly and profusely, and went to pinch my arm.

So I picked him up, scooped up my purse, and with a quick “We’re leaving” to the life group adults we went to the front door. At some point CB let out a PIERCING scream (the whole restaurant came to a halt to look at us). I got to the front, CB hitting me on the arms to attempt to get down, and I said to Denis, “We’re leaving – don’t get us food. CootieGirl is in the back with everyone else. I’ll see you at home once you are done eating.”

I took CB over to my car (at this point when we left the restaurant he was trying to bargain with me (“I’ll be good! I wanna sit with my friends! I’ll be good!”)) and when I opened his door he began screaming again and refused to get in his car seat. Eventually I got him in (who knows what it looked like since I had to practically crawl in the backseat with him to make him locked into his carseat) and we headed home. And through about half of the 20-minute trip he cried. When he finally calmed down, I told him why we didn’t stay. I explained that from now on, if he EVER acts that way in public, his punishment will be having a treat taken away. On Saturday he acted up at gymnastics so he didn’t get to go to the movie. On Sunday he acted up at the restaurant and so he didn’t get to stay and eat. I said, “From now on, if you want to do fun things like movies or eating in a restaurant, you must obey Mommy and not cause a fuss of any kind.”

He hiccuped and said, “Okay, Mama.”

When we got home he started crying again, and when we got in the house I let him cry as long as he wanted. When he finally stopped I explained one more time why we were home, and then asked him if he wanted lunch. He said yes, so I made him a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

So that’s two battles in two days. Wonder how many more I have to look forward to?