Because I Said So

Doesn't that just say it all?  "Because I said so."  Well, it should.  As a kid, of course, it didn't make sense.  But now, as an adult, it makes perfect sense.  When I tell my kids to do something.  They ought to just do it.  Instead of "Why?"  Why?  Why would you, my children 3 & 5 year olds question why?  There is no, 'why'.  You just do it because I said so.

Monday we had a great day planned to meet up with some friends and their kids and go to some boardwalk rides.  I really wanted to go.  I wanted to hang out with adults while my kids had fun on the rides.  Countless times I threatened that we were not going to go if they did not stop their bickering, their whining, their defiance.  To add, this was all before 8:30 AM.

Soon I left to take my son to speech.  On the way there, we had a long chat about behavior and he seemed to understand as much as he could being 3 and all.  Then speech was over and we headed back home.  We did our ritual stop at Wawa; he got a Slurpee and donuts.  I got coffee. All was great in the world.  Then I got home...

Lunch was ready but there were playing cards all over the table and the floor.  They were my son's.  "Buddy, clean up your cards, please." The boy stopped dead in his tracks.  Looked up at me with a huge defiant there-is-not-a-chance-in-the-world-that-I-am-going-to-clean-up-those-cards grin.  Hmpf, is that so.  "Clean them up or you are not going to the rides." I got the same look.  "That's it!  You are NOT going to the rides!"  Through deep, pleading sobs the cards were picked up.  And to add, every last crumb of his lunch was eaten.  The repetition of, "Can I go now?" resounded.  "No, Buddy, you cannot go." He was devastated.  I was devastated.  I wanted to take both my kids and have some fun. That was just brutal.

Now, this is where one might think the story to be over. That I took my daughter and my son learned a hard, but necessary lesson.  Nope.  Through all of the commotion with my son, my daughter keep checking, "Am I still going?"  And she was.  She was listening.  She was well behaved.

Until...

We were moments before leaving.  Moments before heading to the boardwalk.  Moments to some fun by the water.

I got my daughter completely sunblocked, which is a feat within itself as our entire family is so pale we pretty much reflect the sun.  I maintain that if we were ever stranded on a desert island we could just lay ourselves on the beach and a rescue plane would spot us from miles away. Hopefully, before we all burned to crisps. I put on her last article of clothing, when my son picked up one of her slippers.  I told her not to worry about it as she was going to the rides and all my son had at that moment was the slipper.  Well, the second she was done getting dressed, she bee-lined for the slipper and ripped it off my son's foot. "That's it!  You are not going now!"  Shock ensued. Tears ensued.  Screaming ensued.

Now, it is my turn to question why.  Why?  Why couldn't we just go to the boardwalk and have fun?  Why? WHY DON'T THEY JUST LISTEN?

This just crushed me.  I think I learned a rough lesson too.  Sometimes you do have to be biting  despite the fact that you feel like the world's worst parent.  I think this did sink in a little to them and to me.  I don't know how long it is going to last.  For now, my kids have their tails between their legs.  For now, all I have to do is mention the trip to the rides that never happened.  For now, they are doing what they should be doing all the time...listening.