Tempers Flair

Luke and mommy are cut from the same mold. We have the same stubborn streak, the same ability to reason, and the same quick temper. Worse yet, lately I look at my oldest child and wonder when someone snuck in and replaced him with a thirteen year old girl. Take our battle last night:

Me, "Say goodnight to Daddy."

"I want Daddy to put me to bed."

"Mama's gonna do it tonight. Goodnight Daddy."

"NO! I want Daddy to do it!!!"

Me, "Let's start our prayers. Dear Jesus...."

"NOO! Daddy! Daddy's gonna do it!"

"Hey. How would you feel if I said I didn't want to put you to bed, I only wanted to put Nate to bed?"

He thinks for a minute... "Really really bad."

"Well that's how it makes me feel when you say you want Daddy to do it."

Whine whine whine "Well... I just want him."

"Luke, it's time to go to bed. You can pray now and we can have a song, or you can keep whining, and I'll leave and you can go to bed by yourself."

"No! Just get Daddy!"

"I'm leaving now. Goodnight." And as I exit the room....

"HUH! I WON'T GO TO SLEEP! HUH! I'M NOT CLOSING MY EYES. HUH! I'M GETTING OUT OF MY BED! HUH!"

So, I take the bait and charge back in furious and shrieking, "STOP IT RIGHT NOW! YOU ARE ACTING HORRIBLE!!! I DON'T WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU AGAIN!!! GO TO SLEEP!!!!"

And I charge out to the kitchen, taking deep breaths and wondering why in the world I am so angry. Why?! WHY!?

So, I go back in, where he is quietly sobbing. Yes, I know. And I tell him I'm sorry I yelled and I give him a hug. I ask him how we could do it better next time, and he says, "I could not talk sassy at you and not do the whining and not kick my brother in the head." I tell him these are all good things and I ask him how I could do it better, and he says, "You could not scream at me." And so I made a promise to him to try much harder, which I fully intend to keep. And he promised me right back, which I know will take some work.

And I marvel at this little man, so like me. I am in awe at this responsibility, to teach him as many of my good parts as possible, and not allow the weaker parts of me to find a home in him.