Preschool Yuckies And Funnies: Things That Shock And Scare A Mom

What happened? That is my question of the week. It is like someone switched the flip on his dumaflachi. One day things just....changed. This naughty, disrespectful, tantrum-filled outburst seemed to invade. At first, I think I was just in shock and didn't really do anything about it. Then The Prairie Daddy came home and was thrown into the shock with me and he didn't do anything about it. And finally I realized that something had to be done about it...quickly.

So, The Prairie Kid has sat in the recovery chair a lot more this week. And thankfully it is working. There has definitely been a decrease in the outbursts and hopefully this consistency in dealing with them will put the kibosh on them or at least the extremity of them.

Thankfully tonight The Prairie Daddy and I are going on a date. We're going to Wal-mart, dinner and the movies. Wow, did I really just admit that going to Wal-mart was a part of our date night? I am a Prairie Folk. Anyways, remember the movie gift card that The Prairie Daddy gave me for my birthday? We're going to use it tonight and Auntie has agreed to hang out with The Prairie Kid.

Here is a little description of what I've been dealing with: I was emptying the dishwasher this morning and The Prairie Kid was hanging out in the kitchen with me. He wanted to listen to some music and I told him he could when the TV was off. I had forgotten that the TV was still on in the family room but nothing worth watching was on. Even though there wasn't anything worth watching the mention of turning the TV off set off The Prairie Kid and he yelled at me "no turn TV off!" So, I said "that attitude is yucky and I am going to turn the TV off." As I walked past him a projectile object flew past me. I turned the TV off and returned to The Prairie Kid. "Did you throw something at me?" "Yes." And off I took him to the recovery chair. I strapped his screaming, fighting body in and set the timer for 2 minutes. "It is not okay to throw things at people." I tried to ignore the screaming as I proceeded to empty the dishwasher and when the timer beeped I went and sat down in front of my kid.

"Is it okay to throw things at Mommy?" "Yes." "No, it isn't okay to throw things. Would you like to try again?" "Yes." "Do you have anything to say to Mommy?" "Please give me for throw toy." "I forgive you."

YEA! A victory! He has learned not only to ask for forgiveness but this is the first time that he has gone on to confess the wrong doing! YIPPEE!!! Our training that seems to take forever doesn't come up void!

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Yesterday when The Prairie Kid and I got in the car to go get an ATV at the shop I was listening to one of my favorite CDs. It is ATC, they're a euro-pop band from England. If you want a taste of what a Prairie Mama jams out to here you go (you'll have to scroll down to the next post and turn off the County Fair song that is automatically playing):


The Prairie Kid played in the car for a bit while The Prairie Daddy and I were working with the twin calf and the new mama cow. While he was in the car it wasn't running (of course) and I had the keys with me because I know better than to leave them in the presence of my too-smart-for-his-own-good kid. Therefore, the car was never on while he was in it.

When I got back in the car and put the keys in the ignition and started her up my ATC was not what I heard. What was now playing from my CD player was the Walk The Line soundtrack, you know, the one with The Prairie Kid's favorite Joaquin Phoenix version of Ring of Fire. While I was helping The Prairie Daddy, The Prairie Kid pushed the eject button, which did pop out my ATC CD even though the car was off. He proceeded to go through my CD case until he located the Walk The Line CD (how he knows which one it was is crazy to me) and put it in. And, again, even though the car was off the CD player accepted the CD, which then began to play when I started the car.

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Lately, The Prairie Kid has been exhibiting a much more sophisticated whine. He has this pleading voice down to a "T." "Pa-lease!" One of the most frequently used expressions is "I need dat!" or "I need it!" I have reminded him every time that he doesn't need that or it but that he wants that or it.

So now he says "I need it. I WANT IT!" or "I need dat. I WANT DAT!" And often I reply, "I know you want it but my answer is no." And then one of the outbursts is started.

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The Prairie Kid said a funny but not-so-appropriate thing the other night before bed. I told him we could read when he put his bear away. He wanted to read but not put the bear away. I pulled my Love and Logic on him and said "when your bear is put away we can read." It didn't work. He was whining and trying to argue. I tried a different approach, "do you want to go to bed now or do you want to read before bed?" "Read." "We can read when your bear is put away." No response. My voice got a little louder and a little more serious. "Your bear needs to be put away or you are going right to bed without reading."

This is where it got funny (but not-so-appropriate). With his hands in front of his body, palms up, moving to the rhythm of his words he said, "OKAY Mom, OKAY! Caaaalm down. Caaaalm down!"

I tried not to burst into laughter (or tears) and fighting through my smile I said to him as he went to put the bear away, "It is not okay to talk to Mommy like that."

What happened?

Auntie, have fun with The Prairie Kid tonight and let us know how it works for you!