So here we are at the end of another long week and I’ve had enough parenting tests to last me for a lifetime already. Isn’t it amazing how we can provide for our children, give them loving homes with limits and parents who adore them and then all it takes is one moment (or in this case two) where it all just kind of explodes back in your face and you’re left stunned and mouth gaping.
Don’t laugh.
You’ve been there.
You know…the moment where you realize your sweet five year old has chosen to give her American Girl doll a hair cut and leaves her looking like she’s been attacked by a weed wacker!
Yeah. That moment.Or one like it.
This week KG has been taking her end of the year standardized testing (oh, how I loathe standardized tests.) and we’ve been really meticulous about studying for the tests a little every night, heading to bed early, and eating a big healthy breakfast every morning. So on yesterday when I picked KG up from school her principal Mr. J stuck his head in the window to tell me that KG had not completed all of her test the day before, but that it wasn’t really a big deal.
Well, now…in our house it is. This year, Jon and I have really been trying to stress the importance of reading all of the instructions completely before beginning an assignment and checking your work after you are finished. This is one of those things we feel like will need to carry with her for the rest of her life; when she’s an adult she’ll need to read contract completely before signing and check her work for errors forever. To us, this is as important a lesson as any she’ll learn in the classroom.
So home we went, to discuss the importance again…but in terms that I hope she understood. We discussed specific examples of when she would need to use these life lessons in the future and how ignoring them or forgetting to double check could carry consequences. We also discussed how the school receives funding based on the scores of the tests and how it was important for all of the students to complete the tests in order for the school to be able to provide them with all the things they enjoy yearly.
Fast forward to today.
Today, after school, KG brings wads of cut hair out of KJ’s room and sits them in front of me – I know, by just the coloring that this hair belongs to KJ’s American Girl doll and fly back to her bedroom!
WHERE IS YOUR BABY DOLL?!
umm….she’s under my pillow…why??
WHY is she under your pillow?!
*cue blank stare and then eyes darting between KG & I as she tries to figure out how much I know* What did KG tell you??
She didn’t have to tell me anything!! (at this point I’ve got that crazed look in my eye I am sure) SHE brought me the HAIR!!
*frantically waving the doll’s hair clutched between my fingers*
At the same time, I have to admit…she did a darn good job on the hair style! Of course, I didn’t tell her that either. No, because just after this exchange I find a brand new toy broken on her insanely messy room and that she has cut up my Poppie’s favorite afghan as well as her new comforter.
*Cue overreaction*
So in order to keep myself from flogging the child, I sent her to the corner and I cleaned each and every single toy she owns out of her room and into boxes. She will have to earn them back, because it is clear she doesn’t care for or respect her things enough. I also took away her blankets for tonight, because again…she clearly does not value them enough to take care of them. She will get the blankets back tomorrow…and Jon thinks I was too harsh on her…but I say she must learn a lesson. I can’t be trying to correct this type of behavior when she starts school and I won’t have her think it’s acceptable for her to destroy other people’s things.
Needless to say, I’m feeling pretty terrible about my parenting and I’m ready for a glass of wine and the weekend.
How about you? Are you having a triumphant parenting week or just barely surviving?
Image credit: Someone on Some Ecards created the second image and I have no claim to it…I just thought it fit this week’s life lesson.