On the way home there is not much conversation. This brighter than average child breaks the stony silence with his hopeful tone by stating, “Mom, we’re going to have you and me time.”
I don’t know what your response or the mother’s response was to that, but when I heard the story I had a mixed reaction. First, I laughed and secondly, I could see the mom thinking, “Oh yes, we are going to have you and me time alright.”
My concern though, is I wonder how many mothers would melt under the cuteness of the comment and forget their resolve to train their child? Hopefully this mother followed through with her decision that caused her to leave Grandma’s in the first place. If she laughed at her son, “lightened up” and decided to forget the training……then she lost a huge battle.
A situation like this requires great self-control on the parent’s part. I encourage you, DO NOT LAUGH, there is a time for non-emotion and this is it. If I could write the mother’s reply it would be, “Honey, this is not a reward. We are going home because you disobeyed. The time you and I have will be learning how to obey next time.” Save the chuckles for the privacy of your bedroom with your hubby that night; even hearing the retelling of the story could be enough reward for the child to negate all the training given.
At the same time, allow a moment like the above to remind of how very smart children are. This little lad was working in desperation. Children understand when they have done wrong and as parents we must not be lulled into thinking otherwise. What harm would have been done by laughing and leaving all training behind? A manipulator would have been born. Doing whatever it takes to get out of responsibility would have been his goal. Sure that is talking a little extreme, but our action or our lack of action both have domino effect, so we must follow through to have the result we are hoping for.