The Apology

Yesterday my son hit my oldest daughter, not hard enough to make her cry but I did get wind of "the hit" and wanted to make sure he understands that our family doesn't hit (this would be my 100th attempt to help him understand that, by the way).

I told him he couldn't have any screen privileges until he wrote an apology to her.

Today, he was reminded of his punishment, so he reluctantly went to work. I was in the kitchen washing dishes and kept hearing giggles. I wondered what in the world he was up to and would soon find out.

Go ahead and read his apology note and see if you can guess who is inspirator was:

In case you aren't "up" on your Anne of Green Gables literature, he has pretty closely copied Anne Shirley's apology to Rachel Lynde when she (Anne) called Rachel fat. My son even got down on his knee to read his apology to his sister. I was busting up, I didn't realize how closely he was following the book I am reading to his sisters..

May your apologies this week be sincere.

Actually, I like food

Today was Fast Sunday. I generally fast and sometimes my oldest child does as well. Last night I let the kids know I was fasting and the older two children said they wanted to fast as well. My youngest was quick to let us know:

"I am not fasting. I like food actually. I love it."

Pause

She said this so matter-of-factly as though she is the only person in the world who could like food. My other two children piped in to let me know that they also liked food. It was all such a funny conversation as realization set in upon the older children. It was as though I could see the wheels turning, "do I like food?"

Do you have any funny fasting stories to tell?

Bloody Nose

I just posted this whole story on facebook, but today it strikes me as really funny and I keep giggling about my children, so I will post it on here for long-term use/keepsake.

Last night, my girls were examining a new Christmas toy of my 7 year-old (that just arrived yesterday -- this will be the last time I count on Amazon.com for prompt delivery at Christmas-time, this took easily ten days and I just can't endure that kind of customer service in this day and age -- ha ha, what a brat I've become). The 7 yo was taking possession of said toy (a pogo ball -- remember how fun those were? Back in "my" day, we use to rub skin off the insides of our feet from jumping with pogo balls so much)

Anyway, I left the room when they were simply arguing, but as can be predicted, things escalated immediately and I heard the 7 yo shrieking - the kind of cry that let me know she was actually hurt.

I ran to her rescue and spent the next 20 minutes or so stopping the bloody nose, cleaning up after bloody nose, and wishing I had put the kids to be an hour ago.

I told the 4 year old that she was to go to bed now and that she'd get her punishment tomorrow (I also told the 7 yo, she would be deciding the punishment - with my help, heh heh).

Fast forward to today, I put this on facebook and got a bunch of responses:

 

 

Last night 4 yo socked 7 yo in nose, I deferred punishment while cleaning/stopping blood -- punishment still deferred, how would YOU handle this?

 

• K.L. : Have 4 year old do something nice for 7 year old, draw picture or "write" essay about how the wont do it next time. My older kids have to copy and memorize an apt scripture

 

• C.B.: An essay, of course! Ours always were required to write an essay on the virtue, with three properly cited sources, introduction, thesis statement, transition sentences and a conclusion. It became more difficult the older they got (we would edit and they would re-write until it was properly written). No privileges until it was completed.

 

• M.T. (my older sister who I may or may not have wanted to sock in the nose a few times myself): Revenge!!

 

• A.B. (C.B.'s youngest daughter): Mom, she is four years old, she cannot write an essay! I would say privilege revoked, the threat of that one always worked for me. Don't let her watch TV while the other kids get to, or have a day at the zoo that she isn't allowed to attend...something like that!

 

• C.K: I'm surprised to hear my writing-based consequence is used by others too. I thought I was surely funding future therapists' yachts!
  I started a "sorry book" last year. Spiral-bound, they write a sorry note to their sibling(s) on the next blank page. This was partly because I knew it would be hilarious to go back and read them, and it is. Another method I use sometimes is the offender has to be the hurt-sibling's maid or butler (for boys) for a set amount of time (30 minutes, 1 hour, half a day, etc.). Doing their chores, etc. etc. Got this idea from Seinfeld where the judge sentences a guy in a car accident with Jerry to be Jerry's butler. I like the structured essay idea!

 

• K.B: Why did the 4-year-old punch the 7-year-old? Before issuing punishment I'd find out the reason - it's possible that both are going to be doing extra chores. Lots of times at my house, I find that the older ones are the ones that start the fight, but the younger ones are the first to hit. Good luck!

 

• J.B.: True K.B. what did the 7yo do is the 1st question

 

• Me: Thanks for the help -- I think 4 yo will especially appreciate A.B stepping in as a mediator :-) C.B., I love your essay suggestions and have been trying a less-cruel version of it with the older kids, although good grief - your kids must be expert writers with all of your requirements :-) -- Alivia, you didn't ever have to write an essay for bad behavior did you? Cailean, I love your idea of a sorry book, definitely going to have to try that; in the end I decided to have Callie be my 7 yo's maid for four days since she is four years old. The "maid" concept went over very well with the 7 yo

 

• Me: Oh, and to answer Kelly and Jeff's question -- I was out of the room so the story I got was that ( I know they were fighting over 7 yo's toy) Callie hit 7 yo in the back and somehow blood came out her nose