Picking Your Battles
December 19, 2007
I’m staring at my living room wall and notice little brown things sticking to the wall about four feet off the ground. Upon closer examination I realize it’s nose pickings.
I knew the culprit — four year old ‘Howling Mad Murdock.’ — who finds it funny to wipe his nose on my shirt during daily hit-and-run attacks to punch me in the stomach.
So I confront the perpetrator:
Me [Sternly]: “Did you wipe your nose on this wall!”
Howling Mad [Enthusiastically with a glowing smile]: Yeah!
I was prepared to scold. But his response just reduced me to a mild “please don’t do it again.” The older brothers spend so much time denying or blaming others for their bad behavior, so I was tensed up expecting an argument … with a four year old … about boogers.
Remember, it’s all about picking your battles.
Yeah, this is the kind of thing that would push my button too, but well done on rewarding his honesty and leaving the big guns for bigger battles.
Man, I thought I had a wierd home with a footprint on our wall 8 feet off the ground!
“Remember, it’s all about picking your battles.”
…among other things… ;)
Well, at least you felt compelled to say something. I’m afraid if I found boogers somewhere, it would be my boyfriend as often as my kids ;)
Our site has some good advice in the Kids category, on topics dealt with on your blog. Check it out and let me know what you think :)
Dara
http://www.funadvice.com