Last night’s walk was sponsored by thunder, lightning, stuffed shorts, and a wooden spoon.
Fishdog took Ian to buy new running shoes. He’s going to start cross-country training this week, after we get his physical. That’ll be a great experience for him, I’m sure.
Rader tried to pull the old “I don’t have any homework” trick. I knew something was up when he took his backpack to his room. He NEVER takes his backpack to his room. Every day, I pick it up from the middle of the kitchen floor and yell, “Not where it belongs!” So, when Rader picked up his backpack voluntarily, took it to his room and put it in his closet, I knew something was up.
I marched back there and looked through it. He had 3 sheets of homework. The boy learned nothing last week.
I called him into the room, asked him about the homework calmly…no yelling at all…honestly, you should be proud. After he answered me, I said, “I’ll be right back.”
Walked into the kitchen, picked up Woody, (a wooden spoon) and went back to Rader’s room. He was waiting, wide-eyed and worried.
“Bend over the bed, please.”
He does without any argument. I’m thinking, this is good. He’s not fighting it. I’m handling this the right way. I am getting through! I am mother of the year!
Apparently, he anticipated that I might be getting Woody (which is funny, because he’s only been spanked by Woody one other time. I’m not a big spanker) Anyway, he had shoved several pairs of shorts into his shorts, hoping I wouldn’t notice the extra padding.
I noticed. I removed said padding and he got 4 licks. One for each page of homework he didn’t do and one for lying.
BTW, he did his homework in about fifteen minutes and it was all correct. Why do they insist on being so stupid sometimes? Not only did he get reaquainted with Woody last night, but now he’s grounded again from electronics except for the radio. Seriously, I heart boys, but sometimes I wonder how they manage to make it to 30 years old.
So, after the beating, I decided to walk for a while. It was nice outside. Not too hot and the wind was blowing. It was thundering in the distance. I decided to stay in the neighborhood because I didn’t want to get too far away and be struck by lightning.
I made 2 laps around our half-mile circle before the lightning had made it to our area. I had planned to walk for 3 laps. Since I didn’t get to do that, I came in and had a whisky instead.
Bitchin' Fiction: Musings by author Melissa McKenzie / Melissa Francis 
That is funny. I have a Woody too. Although I only used it once on my kids when they were very little, it must have made quite an impression, because they still talk about it. Uh oh.. I just hope I don’t see them on Dr. Phil one day;))
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Well, you have to give your kids SOMEthing to tell their shrinks.
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LOL that he anticipated it! I don’t spank my kids often — matter of fact, I can’t remember the last time I did. However, my father-in-law crafted a paddle for us just for the occasion.And sometimes instructing my children to take the paddle off the nail is enough to put the Fear of Momma in them.
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Okay, I’ve got to remember Woody. My little boys getting too big to spank by hand! You’ve got to give your son credit for thinking ahead though… 🙂
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Unfortunately all three of my boys are taller than me now so it’s a bit hard to threaten the physical stuff as they just pat me on the head and laugh. but there are other ways to get them, ipods, telly, computer etc etc.And of course the look of death-I have that one down pat now.I once found 15 notes saying that my Gregory had not completed his assignments hidden in his backpack…sigh
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I might have to get a Woody. If my 10 yo son’s 4th grade experience was just the warm-up for fifth grade (which starts next week), I may have to bring out the big guns. He’s become so seriously addicted to being lazy that he doesn’t want to do anything anymore. Sigh. Hope his 5th grade isn’t like my daughter’s 5th grade year was. Of course, now, as a senior, she looks back and says that the 5th grade madness was the best thing that ever happened to her…but she sure didn’t think so at the time. Her room practically looked like a jail cell by the time we stripped out everything that could possibly bring her any enjoyment (the only way to get through to that child). Being a mom is freaking hard sometimes, huh??Shannon
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You did a good job of remaining calm while you dealt out the punishment. That’s the hardest part for me, because kids can be so maddening! Like you, I ground my son from electronics (like Game Cube). It’s quite effective, isn’t it? Grounding my daughter from her friends is a most excrutiating torment for her. But, I hate having to dole out punishments (especially since I remember doing a lot of the same stuff. LOL!).
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Whiskey barely cuts it for me over this homework bullshit. My 1st grader has had 2 pages each night so far!!!! What crap! What am I paying these people for????
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