Memorial Day Discipline

We had an invite to go to our neighbor's yesterday for dinner.  We were all excited to just relax, play and visit.  Everything was going well, dinner was lovely (pigs in a blanket for the kids and pork steaks and an Asian salad for the adults, yummy) and the kids were playing very nicely together.  Something took a turn for the worse somewhere between brownies and sunset. 

Jac and Mia were playing with our neighbor's five year old, we are very close with them and they know each other quite well.  Jac is perhaps, a little too comfortable at their house.  Comfortable enough to throw a five year old sized fit in their backyard.  It involved turn taking, which was merely the beginning of the poor choices that Jac made.  After he had spent a good ten minutes in their Fred Flinstone car with the girls hanging onto the outside and Jac driving them around, he was asked by Mia nicely if she could have a turn.  Much to her credit she was very patient and didn't through a fit herself.  I asked him to give Mia a turn and then Jeff in a much sterner voice asked him.  He started to negotiate, which was his first poor choice. 

When I got up from the table he knew that his negotiation wouldn't work.  So he ran, this was his second poor choice.  Never run away from your mother!  So, I told him we would go home if he didn't come to me.  He came.  Then he had to sit on my lap, but since he was being a bit too noisy (screaming his head off, third poor choice) to stay within company we moved inside for a discussion.  I thought for sure I could calm the situation down.  But to no avail, he tried, he really did but he was so frustrated and I was frustrated.  When we tried to walk back outside he continued to show his frustration, the final poor choice, so I decided I should take the opportunity I had.  I left with him and Jeff and Mia stayed at the party. 

Oh my.  This was quite a lesson.  He wasn't entirely positive that he wouldn't get to go back.  He held out hope for the longest time, probably up until I had his jammies on, then he knew.  He would not be allowed to go back and continue to play. 

I have to admit, I was very pleased by the whole situation.  Jac has been five going on fifteen lately, with a bit of an attitude and a healthy dose of defiance.  This was the perfect punishment at the perfect time.  Sometimes it is hard to make this choice and end a lovely evening for both yourself and your child, but I do believe that we had bottomed out.  This punishment will ring loudly in his memory for a long time, something for Jac to remember on Memorial Day.

Thank you to all the veterans out there, for your time and devotion and commitment.  A special thank you to my two Grandfathers, both whom have passed, for their service to their country in World War II.  I love you!