Spilled Coffee And A Lesson Learned
The day before yesterday Anna Kate and Max were peacefully (ha, ha) eating chicken noodle soup together at the table. Suddenly Max began shooting Anna Kate with his pretend guns. Not like a "bang, bang" with his finger. Like a full-on machine gun style shooting. The result? A very sad, offended Anna Kate and a BIG, FULL bowl of chicken noodle soup in Max's lap, on his chair and on the floor under his chair. Since our kitchen is not level, the juice ran all the way to the living room. Lovely.
Now, we have had the stomach bug at our house all week. Chad and I are tired of cleaning up messes. Really tired of it. I don't mind accident messes at all. But messes caused by machine gunning at the kitchen table? Oh, I mind. Max was banished to his room while I cleaned up noodles and collected myself.
We had a long visit. Long, long. It went something like this:
Me: "Max, why are you in trouble?"
Max: "Because I spilled my soup."
Me: "No, Max. You are in trouble because you were playing at the table. What do we do at the table?"
Max: "We eat at the table."
Me: "Do we play at the table?"
Max: "No."
Me: "Where do we play?"
Max: "In the play room."
Me: "Is the kitchen the play room?"
Max: "No."
Me: "Right. The play room is where the toys are. That is where we play. Not in the kitchen. We eat and we cook in the kitchen."
Max: "Yes."
Me: "Okay. Max, why are you in trouble?"
Max: "Because I spilled my soup."
Me: (Big sigh.) "No. You are in trouble for playing at the kitchen table. Do we play at the table?"
Max: "No."
Me: "Right. Okay. Why are you in trouble."
Max: "Because I spilled my soup."
Me: (AAAAAAAAGHHHH!) "No. Try again. Why are you in trouble?"
Max: "Because I spilled my soup."
Me: (Big, big, sigh. Count to 10.) No.
And this went on and on. I role played, explained it again, showed him....
He finally said, "I'm in trouble because I played at the table." Whew. But I'm still not convinced that he understood. We let the issue go and went on with our life.
Well, the next morning I got another chance to help him understand. Max and I sat at the kitchen table together. I was drinking a big, hot cup of coffee and we were visiting about the upcoming day. As we talked (signed) together, Max knocked over my big, hot cup of yummy coffee. Off the table, onto the chair then onto the floor and into the living room. Max panicked. I smiled. He looked confused. He helped me clean up the mess. As we worked I got to explain it to him all over again, starting with the soup. It was great and he GOT IT!!! Whew.
Now, we have had the stomach bug at our house all week. Chad and I are tired of cleaning up messes. Really tired of it. I don't mind accident messes at all. But messes caused by machine gunning at the kitchen table? Oh, I mind. Max was banished to his room while I cleaned up noodles and collected myself.
We had a long visit. Long, long. It went something like this:
Me: "Max, why are you in trouble?"
Max: "Because I spilled my soup."
Me: "No, Max. You are in trouble because you were playing at the table. What do we do at the table?"
Max: "We eat at the table."
Me: "Do we play at the table?"
Max: "No."
Me: "Where do we play?"
Max: "In the play room."
Me: "Is the kitchen the play room?"
Max: "No."
Me: "Right. The play room is where the toys are. That is where we play. Not in the kitchen. We eat and we cook in the kitchen."
Max: "Yes."
Me: "Okay. Max, why are you in trouble?"
Max: "Because I spilled my soup."
Me: (Big sigh.) "No. You are in trouble for playing at the kitchen table. Do we play at the table?"
Max: "No."
Me: "Right. Okay. Why are you in trouble."
Max: "Because I spilled my soup."
Me: (AAAAAAAAGHHHH!) "No. Try again. Why are you in trouble?"
Max: "Because I spilled my soup."
Me: (Big, big, sigh. Count to 10.) No.
And this went on and on. I role played, explained it again, showed him....
He finally said, "I'm in trouble because I played at the table." Whew. But I'm still not convinced that he understood. We let the issue go and went on with our life.
Well, the next morning I got another chance to help him understand. Max and I sat at the kitchen table together. I was drinking a big, hot cup of coffee and we were visiting about the upcoming day. As we talked (signed) together, Max knocked over my big, hot cup of yummy coffee. Off the table, onto the chair then onto the floor and into the living room. Max panicked. I smiled. He looked confused. He helped me clean up the mess. As we worked I got to explain it to him all over again, starting with the soup. It was great and he GOT IT!!! Whew.
posted by Erin at 2:20 PM
6 Comments:
You're a great mom! Thanks for sharing your stories :)
WOW! Don't you love those 5 day lessons? I guess that is the difference between training and discipline. There is a place for both but sometimes we all get a little confused don't we? It is so hard not to just give up on those teachable moments. THanks for the reminder and the encouragement!
We have been bug free for 4 days now!! Woostinckinwho! Hope the sickies are gone for you too!
Kelli-
I'm so glad the sickies are finally gone from the Bragdon house. They seem to be camped out at our house now. Anna Kate can't seem to kick it. Chad came home from work today with "The Works". Poor guy. Max is still going strong and so am I. I'm trying to climb out from under all the laundry...
Good Morning Erin,
Sorry your sweet little family has been sick. Hope you are all better soon. I loved your posting for "spilled coffee and a lesson learned".. Patience and loving devoted parents are rewarded by God. Anna Kate, Max, and Jake will benefit and be blessed. Looking forward to seeing you and the kids when you come to Sunfish. Holly, Grady and Abbey will be with us at the ranch so maybe you girls can have a "time-out" and a nice lunch while Momma D and Grammy watch the kids.
Love you,
Sandra
Erin--
You don't know me, but I just got married into the Peek family and have heard stories of your family from dear Becky. I like to read your posts because someday, Chris & I hope to be blessed with a family of our own, and I learn so much from you. Thank you for teaching young ladies through your blog, some of us need mature Christian women to look to, even if they've never met!
Sarah Peek
Erin,
Hey just wanted to let you know that I occasionally take a sneak-peek into the Gerlt House too (I know the Peek Mama reads it as well).
I loved your coffee story and can't until our Peek-Sharp-Young clan can participate in sharing those kinds of stories!
Shannon Sharp (Peek)
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