Lest You All Think My Kid’s Perfect…

[Typo Lad]

Typo Tot did a Bad Thing yesterday.

A Very Bad Thing.

She hit me.

How can such a thing happen, you ask?

Good question.

We were walking home from the bus when she began to run ahead.

“You can’t catch me!” she shouted gleefully.

“Yes I can!”

“No way!”

“I’m gonna getcha,” I said, arm outstretched… when she wheeled around and smacked my arm. Hard.

“Did… did you just hit me?”

“I didn’t want you to get me!”

“Okay, but hitting isn’t what you do. You need to tell me.”

“I did.”

“Okay, we’re going to walk home and you can think about how you’re going to be punished.”

“No!”

“Yes.”

“I don’t want my dolls to go in time-out.”

REALLY cranky at this point.

“Well, do you think I should hit you?”

“NO!”

“Okay, so since I don’t hit you… you don’t hit me, got it?”

She nodded her head. We walked home the rest of the way.

When we got home, I punished her in the cruelest, evilest way ever –

I told Suzannah, who gave her The Look.

She won’t be doing that anytime soon.

I also may be skipping our daily Ice Cream unless I get an “I’m sorry” at the playground today.

But anyway, yeah, she ain’t perfect.

[traxler]

she has also started posting here, under the name Jagatai Khan.
Her post on Banned Books over on the books forum is cool.

[Typo Lad]

she has also started posting here, under the name Jagatai Khan.
Her post on Banned Books over on the books forum is cool.

You realize, were we in the same room, I would now be honor bound to challenge you to a duel, sir.

[traxler]

You realize, were we in the same room, I would now be honor bound to challenge you to a duel, sir.
Teehee.
See? She ain't so bad affer all.

[Typo Lad]

Teehee.

You sir, laugh like a fop.

See? She ain't so bad affer all.

Which one?

[Sheldon]

Damn Morts...Typo Tot has some pretty interesting ideas....

[Shellhead]

Damn Morts...Typo Tot has some pretty interesting ideas....

She probably gets those ideas from those weird and violent comic books laying around the house.

[Typo Lad]

She probably gets those ideas from those weird and violent comic books laying around the house.

Funny, but for the record...

I don't leave any comics laying about. They're either:

1) In storage.

2) On the top shelf of my bookshelf, in TPB form, where she cannot reach.

3) On the bottom shelf, where she CAN reach and knows to put them back when she is done (usually).

4) SMall stack near the couch, which consisits of old Disney COmcis and Stories and the like.

[Rallura]

She may not be, but I am beginning to think you are. You're one hell of a parent.

[Typo Lad]

She may not be, but I am beginning to think you are. You're one hell of a parent.

No I'm not. I've been losing my temper with her WAY too easily lately. Suzannah also. We've realized that we're stressed because of how cramped our apartment is and have Taken Steps.

[traxler]

double post

[traxler]

We've realized that we're stressed because of how cramped our apartment is and have Taken Steps.
What, like putting Tot in the fridge?

and I mean't compared to that person the Tot ain't soooo bad.
Just nip it in the bud.

[Typo Lad]

What, like putting Tot in the fridge?

Okay, storytime again.

My dad has this weird thing where he puts little kids on the fridge. His grandchildren, naturally, fear this now.

For a while, Tot's threatened punishment was "DO you want to be put on the fridge?"

Suzannah nipped that one in the bud when she pointed out that one day we might have to actually follow through on that.

We ditched some furniture and are getting a storage space on Sunday. The building was supposed to be giving us one on July 1st, but they reneged.

and I mean't compared to that person the Tot ain't soooo bad.


Ahhhh.

[K'Nort]

Wait. I was gone for several months, but I thought you guys were moving somewhere with more space.

[Typo Lad]

Wait. I was gone for several months, but I thought you guys were moving somewhere with more space.

No, we moved to a better neighborhood, but to a MUCH smaller apartment.

our current appartment in the old one's living/dining room area.

And it was about $100 cheaper.

[traxler]

Suzannah's taking up a lot of space too, isn't she.

How selfish. :)

[Typo Lad]

Suzannah's taking up a lot of space too, isn't she.

Wow.

You must be tired of living, huh?

"Suicide By Hot Brunette" isn't the most common choice, but it's effective.

[Flawless P]

Typo Tot did a Bad Thing yesterday.

A Very Bad Thing.

She hit me.

How can such a thing happen, you ask?

Good question.

We were walking home from the bus when she began to run ahead.

“You can’t catch me!” she shouted gleefully.

“Yes I can!”

“No way!”

“I’m gonna getcha,” I said, arm outstretched… when she wheeled around and smacked my arm. Hard.

“Did… did you just hit me?”

“I didn’t want you to get me!”

“Okay, but hitting isn’t what you do. You need to tell me.”

“I did.”

“Okay, we’re going to walk home and you can think about how you’re going to be punished.”

“No!”

“Yes.”

“I don’t want my dolls to go in time-out.”

REALLY cranky at this point.

“Well, do you think I should hit you?”

“NO!”

“Okay, so since I don’t hit you… you don’t hit me, got it?”

She nodded her head. We walked home the rest of the way.

When we got home, I punished her in the cruelest, evilest way ever –

I told Suzannah, who gave her The Look.

She won’t be doing that anytime soon.

I also may be skipping our daily Ice Cream unless I get an “I’m sorry” at the playground today.

But anyway, yeah, she ain’t perfect.
Your lucky when I was little me and my dad played football once... yeah once. He pretended that I tackled him and I booted him in the nose... hard too. I felt so bad afterwards I dont know why I did it.. I was balling like a.. well i was little so lets just say it was not the most manly reaction of my life. I do however know why I would do it now... leave me for eight years with little more than a phone call once a year an......... (someones got some daddy issues.)

[Typo Lad]

Yes, yes I would say that you might have some "daddy issues".

And after eight years of that, I'd be aiming a BIT lower than the nose.

[StoneGold]

You realize this is just the beginning, right? Tot in 20 years or so...

http://www.nicolebass.com/cover.jpg

[Typo Lad]

You realize this is just the beginning, right? Tot in 20 years or so...

I'd challenge you to a duel, but I have so much life left to live.

[Rallura]

No I'm not. I've been losing my temper with her WAY too easily lately. Suzannah also. We've realized that we're stressed because of how cramped our apartment is and have Taken Steps.

Thus proving my point.

[Typo Lad]

Thus proving my point.

No, if we were perfect we wouldn't be losing our temper at all.

[Dreadstar]

No, if we were perfect we wouldn't be losing our temper at all.

That wouldn't mean you were perfect, that would mean you were lobotomized.

[Typo Lad]

That wouldn't mean you were perfect, that would mean you were lobotomized.

It has been remarked that sucha procedure might be an improvment.

[Rallura]

No, if we were perfect we wouldn't be losing our temper at all.

Two points:

1. you are modeling good behavior for your child by recognizing there's a common problem and acting on it constructively

2. All too often, the status quo for parents is to treat their children like second class citizens and thus not deserving of the same consideration they would give to an adult in the same situation. you don't do that.

Just take the compliment already, sheesh!

[Slam_Bradley]

Funny, but for the record...

I don't leave any comics laying about. They're either:

1) In storage.

2) On the top shelf of my bookshelf, in TPB form, where she cannot reach.

3) On the bottom shelf, where she CAN reach and knows to put them back when she is done (usually).

4) SMall stack near the couch, which consisits of old Disney COmcis and Stories and the like.


I actually found this more interesting than the hitting. I think it's an age thing, because Connor has been striking out lately. Which is not encouraged behavior. Of course, he's also learned the "play one parent against the other" behavior. Luckily neither ex or I are playing that game.

My comic set-up is similar. The boys have a fairly large stack of books that are theirs. Mostly beat up bronze age stuff that I had as a kid, with a fair amount of DC Cartoon books picked up 3/$1. Also Batman & Superman Adv. trades I picked up for them on e-bay.

The bottom book shelf is filled with Marvel Essentials which Nathan can read any time and Connor can look at. The next shelf up are DC and Marvel and a few indy trades that Nathan can read. All others are off limits.

You're doing a good job Morts.

[Typo Lad]

I actually found this more interesting than the hitting.

Comic geek.

I think it's an age thing, because Connor has been striking out lately. Which is not encouraged behavior.

I call it a preview of puberty.

What was very odd is we'd actually had a little talk the night before because Dragontails was about Max getting upset and hitting his sister. We talked about hitting was bad.

Obviously, it did not sink in.

Overall she's more physical lately. In her affection as well.

Of course, he's also learned the "play one parent against the other" behavior.

That's grounds for a loss of Barbie-time in our house.

We ran into something similar when she informed me that mommy lets her cross the street in front of our apartment herself(!). Turns out Mommy had her hands full once, checked, and let her dash across. Still not happy about it, but the street is basically dead.

My new answer in those situations is "I'm not mommy. I'm daddy."

Luckily neither ex or I are playing that game.

It just hit me how much harder that must be to police when you're not in the same house.

Damn.

My comic set-up is similar. The boys have a fairly large stack of books that are theirs. Mostly beat up bronze age stuff that I had as a kid, with a fair amount of DC Cartoon books picked up 3/$1. Also Batman & Superman Adv. trades I picked up for them on e-bay.

The bottom book shelf is filled with Marvel Essentials which Nathan can read any time and Connor can look at. The next shelf up are DC and Marvel and a few indy trades that Nathan can read. All others are off limits.

You're doing a good job Morts.

Thanks.

Of course, I got the idea from a thread of where you mentioned your set-up, so you'd also better take the compliment.

[Justin Davis]

But anyway, yeah, she ain’t perfect.

Doesn't stop her from being cute as hell though.

I like that she immediately jumped to her dolls getting a time-out too. She's trained well in the guilt and fear area. And that's a compliment meant not to have any creepiness in it at all, I swear.

[Ray R.]

Not sure how old Tot is, Morts, but my daughter is six, and she's pushed the envelope a few times.

She hit me with pretty good amount of vigor behind it once or twice. Playtime immediately stopped and I told her that I would not tolerate her hitting me, her mother or anyone else.

She responded with: "Well, you're a strong guy, daddy. It shouldn't hurt you."

I said: "Sometimes hitting hurts more in your mind, than your body."

I made her apologize, and told her the next time and every time she hits, she loses a toy, a toy that goes to Goodwill for a child who will appreciate it more than a little girl who hits other people.


Sad thing is, though, you can teach your own, but you can't teach others. My daughter was in one of those McDonald's play centers, and accidently stepped on another little girl's shoe. The other little girl slapped my daughter squarely in the face leaving a sizeable red mark. My daughter burst out crying.

I saw the girl's mother, who was chasing some other hellion through the McDonald's parking lot, and said, "your daughter just slapped my kid in the face."

She yelled at her kid to come out to the parking lot, and took her away. No apology, nothing of the sort.

I remarked to the parent next to me, who saw the whole thing: "It's a shame that you need a license to drive a car, but need absolutely nothing to be responsible for the development of another human life."

Wondering how others here would have reacted, because I taught one message, and then had to deal with a direct contradiction of that message from a stranger, with no repercussions.....

[Typo Lad]

Not sure how old Tot is, Morts, but my daughter is six, and she's pushed the envelope a few times.

She's 4.5.

She hit me with pretty good amount of vigor behind it once or twice. Playtime immediately stopped and I told her that I would not tolerate her hitting me, her mother or anyone else.

She responded with: "Well, you're a strong guy, daddy. It shouldn't hurt you."

I said: "Sometimes hitting hurts more in your mind, than your body."

I made her apologize, and told her the next time and every time she hits, she loses a toy, a toy that goes to Goodwill for a child who will appreciate it more than a little girl who hits other people.

Nice!

Sad thing is, though, you can teach your own, but you can't teach others.

VERY true. I have that problem with my sister-in-law. Her eldest is two weeks younger than Tot. A while back they were playing in Tot's room and he got cranky and started kicking her. She handled it properly, getting an adult.. his mom. She stood there., on the other side of the room and asked him to stop. While she asked, he kicked. I had to intervine.

"Shlomo Yaakov, we don't kcik in this house. if you're going to kick, you need to go in the other room."

Finally, she gets the hint and takes him out of the room. A few minutes later, we go in theliving room, where he jumps her. We have to seperate them/

"Shlomo Yaakov, I think we need to go home. Tot's very tired."

I'm sorry... WHAT?

NO blame. No notice that he was doing anything wrong at all.

Unacceptible.

We see this time and again with them. She's in awe of simple things like the fact Tot won't draw on the walls or climb on the kitchen shelves.

In fact, the next youngest started to draw on a table once. When I stopped him, informing him that we only write on paper in our house, he looked at me like I was on crack.

Wondering how others here would have reacted, because I taught one message, and then had to deal with a direct contradiction of that message from a stranger, with no repercussions.....

"Madam, your child hit my daughter. I expect her to apologize."

[DarkBlade]

o_O He didn't REALLY put any kids in the fridge, did he?

[Justin Davis]

o_O He didn't REALLY put any kids in the fridge, did he?

ON the fridge, Rin, on the fridge. Big difference there.

They do keep better in the fridge though.


Morts, about that last story with the kicking kid.... Shlomo Yaakov? Seriously? I know it's a Jewish name and all, but do the parents just want this kid to get beat up?

[DarkBlade]

*facepalm*

Thank you Justin.

Reading comprehension is my friend... oi. 'Least I can stop having fits now!

[Typo Lad]

Morts, about that last story with the kicking kid.... Shlomo Yaakov? Seriously? I know it's a Jewish name and all, but do the parents just want this kid to get beat up?

We call him "ShloYo".

I expect he'll go by "Shlomo", which is fairly common.

His brothers are "Aaron Chaim" (Ronnie), 'Akiva Yonah" (Yonie) and Ephriam Baruch (no nickname).

The best name in the family is Avigdor Simcha. We call him... Viggy.

[Royal]

You realize this is just the beginning, right? Tot in 20 years or so...

http://www.nicolebass.com/cover.jpg

And here's me with the positive.

http://www.thefightgame.tv/logos6/image001.jpg

[K'Nort]

*facepalm*

Thank you Justin.

Reading comprehension is my friend... oi. 'Least I can stop having fits now!

I thought it was in the fridge too.

[traxler]

I thought it was in the fridge too.
That's my fault.
I said to put Totty in the fridge,
and then he said ON the fridge,
and then you .......... well, whatever.

[Jeff Brady]

Wow.

If I ever become a parent, I know who to ask for advice.

[K'Nort]

That's my fault.
I said to put Totty in the fridge,
and then he said ON the fridge,
and then you .......... well, whatever.

DAMN YOU!!!

**shakes fist**