There’s a woman across the street who has a 4 year old and a 2 year old. The 4 year old was being fairly vicious this afternoon and bouncing the ball off her sisters head. While I don’t condone this, I have to admit that a child going out of her way to make a ball bounce high off a soft head kind of amuses me…to some twisted degree.
Her mom finally realized what was going on (she was busy on the phone or something) and told her daughter that if she didn’t stop by the time she counted to three, the ball would be taken away forever. So the girl gave her the typical snooty “Yea, ok mom” attitude and continued bouncing. Her mother than counted to three and the bouncing continued. Then, I don’t know how this happened, but the kid hopped off the deck and started running around screaming “Ha, can’t get me.”
Where did she go wrong? She didn’t smack the kid on the ass when she was standing right next to her. She went ACROSS THE DECK to count to three, giving the child plenty of room to take off. She then looked at her husband for help and he even said “Should have smacked her when you had the chance.” (Go dad!)
So he hopped off the deck, they caught up with her and he then cracked her on the butt. She stopped screaming, didn’t cry, just sat in the corner for her punishment while mom and dad continued playing with the 2 year old.
Lesson of the day, if your child is really ticking you off to the point that you have to COUNT. Punch yourself in the face for letting them get to that point.