Parenting is fun, isn’t it? Especially when you have to deal with a behavior-challenged child. Like mine. But I got the perfect teaching moment today, so I decided to go with it.

We’ve been having an issue with Alex bullying the dog. Luckily Winston is extremely patient and tolerant to having his ears pulled, his tail yanked on, being pinched, punched and kicked. I have a hard time dealing with it most of the time because it’s difficult to find anything to really punish Alex with that makes an impact. Until today.

He was waiting to go on his beloved bus ride around town. We were sitting together on the couch, both involved in what we were each doing. When Alex thought I wasn’t looking, he reached out and pinched the dog. For absolutely no reason whatsoever – the dog was sleeping beside him. I told him to stop – he looked me right in the eye and did it again. So that was it. No bus ride.

Alex cried. And cried and cried. He tried stroking Winston, he tried apologizing to both of us, but no. I stuck to my guns and told him if he was nice all day to the dog, I’d let him go on his bus ride tomorrow.  So he cried and sobbed, and choked on his own spit… then he kicked the dog, hard enough to make him yelp. No bus tomorrow, and he had to go up to his room.

Now his room is another story altogether. I have to take his little tv and his dvd player/vcr out of there, along with his lamp because I never know what he’s going to break next, and those are the things I can’t afford. The good news is — yes, there is some good news — he has learned the hard way not to break his movies. I have to admit that it hurt to let him do it. I made sure I took the ones out I really wanted to keep (this was months ago) and I just let him smash them. Standing outside his room listening to my money getting ready for the garbage was one of the most painful but teachable moments I’ve ever had with him.

And so I’m hoping this weekend’s lack of bus rides will be as well. The poor dog is such a lovely creature. Suffice to say though, today has been hairy.

This post is part of Stream of Consciousness Saturday. Click the link to read more about it and to find all the other awesome posts! https://lindaghill.com/2017/02/03/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-feb-417/