I’m not so good at disciplining Rex (3). It’s not a matter of wrong intentions, it’s more like he doesn’t care. Harrison, as a five-year-old, gets stuck in the corner on a regular basis (because he’s sassy). But now and then Rex really does have it coming.
So yesterday Harrison came upstairs crying because Rex had caused him bodily harm. I wasn’t paying much attention to Harry and kind of mumbled the standard, “Oh, I’m sorry honey blah blah blah”. Then Harrison looks me in right in the glazed over eye and says, “Well, aren’t you gonna give him a time-out?”
Snap. Oh. Right. I’m supposed to give him a time out. “Uh, sure honey,” I respond half-heartedly, trying to surface long enough to play Mommy. But Rex was downstairs and I was upstairs, I didn’t really want to…
“Rexy!” Harrison yells in a cheerful sing-song voice. “Come up and see Mommy! She’s got CANDY!”
Candy? I have candy? Wait wait wait. Is my son really using candy to lure his baby brother into a web of time-out?
“It’s so yummy, come see Mommy!”
Horror, shock, where did he learn this?
“Candy?” Rexy calls out in his chirpy three-year-old voice, “I love candy!” He bounds upstairs and into my reluctant arms.
There was so much wrong with this situation that I didn’t even know where to start parenting. I’m supposed to let Harrison LIE in order to find personal justice? I don’t think so. But then again, I wasn’t jumping out of my chair to discipline his naughty little brother and a little part of me kind of respects his forwardness.
So, Rex got a time-out and Harrison got the lecture about lying. It goes something like this.
“Harrison? Where do liars go?”
“To the Devil,” he mumbles.
“That’s right. And you can’t take Mommy or Daddy or your blankie with you to the Devil. Is that what you want?”
“No.”
“Then apologize to your brother and next time, tell the truth.”
Aren’t I a good Mommy?
So funny! I especially love that your son knew right off the bat where liars go! I’ve never thought to teach my kids that! 🙂 Still smiling.
My kids do that same “Moms got candy!” thing too! It drives me crazy! I’ve attempted to teach them not to coherce each other with lies, but I’m constantly overhearing them talk each other into one scenario or another under false pretenses! You would think that they would have learned not to trust each other by now.
What a smart boy. He just knew Rex needed to be there- and candy would get him there.
I am sometimes also too lazy to discipline. Does it really matter?
Good mommy, good mommy.
Does the devil have candy though? I think he does.
Loved it. When my kids don’t get the satisfaction they think their tattling deserves I hear this type of thing, “Josh, Mom just told me you have to go to your room, and tell me you’re sorry” And it’s usually lies, and sometimes I punish the first offender AND the liar, and sometimes I just ignore it all. Motherhood is just SOOO fun sometimes. . .and funny!
Thankfully, all four of my children are perfect, and so not only would they never do anything like this – They never require discipline.
I lead a charmed life, what can I say?
It was a joke, people. Just so you know.
I see a few problems with this scenario but all I’m going to say is that I don’t discipline based on tattling unless there’s evidence (I want to see the mark) so unless Harry was bleeding Rex gets off on this one. But I do discipline for lying (if I see/hear it). Sorry Harry, it’s the corner for you.
But that’s just me.
Alison, you’re such an amazing mother. Let’s all take note of how it’s properly done, people.
You gotta love being a mum of boys. I know I do!!