June 27, 2009
This is Only a Test. Right?
I’ve tried to write this post five times, deleting and starting over each time. I don’t want to sound like a whiny mom, but my sweet little boy is turning into a kid. A big kid with an attitude and somedays I want to run far away and never come back.
Dawson will be 5 years old in September. Five. Years old. It’s exciting and heartbreaking all at the same time.
Exciting because he’s so grown up and he says the most grown up things. He wants to do big kid things like pick out his own clothes, pour his own milk and walk the dog. By himself.
I’m not keen on the dog walking thing because Murphy has great strength and I know that he’d be dragging Dawson down the sidewalk if given the opportunity.
But, turning five is heartbreaking because my Doodlebug is growing up right before my eyes. And with maturity his personality has developed, as well as an attitude.
Last week I was madly cleaning the house and asked Dawson to pick up his socks that were in the middle of the living room floor.
“No.” he said.
I repeated my request and he replied, “I don’t want to.”
I could feel the blood boiling in my veins.
“Dawson, pick up your socks, please.”
“Why can’t you do it?”
I was starting to lose my temper so I bit my lip and gave him a timeout in his room. When the 5 minutes was over I told him to pick up the socks again and this time he did so, but said “whatever” as he walked to his room.
WHATEVER? Did he just say what I think he said?
A few days ago I went into his room and found toys all over the floor. I told Dawson he needed to pick them up. He ignored me. I repeated myself and he said, “I’ll do it later.”
What the hell? Where did he learn this behavior? For as long as I can remember Dawson would oblige when I told him to do things. Now he’s rebelling. It’s frustrating.
My neighbor says he’s just trying to assert some control over his life, but my goodness! I’m not asking him to mow the lawn, I just want him to pick up after himself. Why is he fighting with me?
Today I took him to Burger King for lunch. I had a craving for a Whopper, Jr. and Dawson said he wanted a hamburger kids’ meal. When we got home he ate the fries and had two bites of the burger. I told him to finish and he said he was full. I told him to wrap up the hamburger and he could eat it later. He did so, but then came back from the kitchen with a cookie in his hand.
“Dawson, put the cookie back. You told me you were full.”
“No. I just don’t want this burger.”
“You are not eating a cookie until the burger is gone.”
“Whatever…” he said. He put the cookie back, grabbed the burger and sulked.
I know I’m doing the right thing by standing my ground. I just don’t know why this child is testing me. Is it only a phase? Will it ever end?
Help!
Posted by Dana @ 12:46 PM • Kids These Days,The Doodlebug
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June 27th, 2009 at 5:38 PM, Headless Mom Says:
Welcome to the kid years. Remember, too, that he is starting to sort out that he won’t be the only kid in the house anymore. Older kids (5+) seem to take that a little differently than younger kids. I remember when we had boy1 that girl (who was 9) sulked and had lots of ‘stomach aches’ around the time he came along. She also willingly admitted that she ‘just wanted attention’. You may want to sit down and have a talk with him to see if this is the root of the problem!
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