bang bang
Today was Moose's Christmas party and it went pretty well. He's been VERY defiant at school and at home lately. You tell him one thing and he wants the opposite - fairly consistently. But he ended up standing up and singing with his classmates (definitely not as well as he did at church but he could see me today). Overall a really good party.
Then I get home and read his planner notes for today. "Kept wanting a gun at school (used a block). I finally had to get really firm (no guns at school - we don't want to hear it again - Mr. G [the principal] says no guns at school). Then [Moose] said, "I'm getting frustrated. I want to go home." He says this quite often when told NO."
What do I do? I can't think of where he would pick up guns from. Yes, he watched The Fox and the Hound, but that doesn't sound like a rifle he was wanting if he used a block. And he's never pretended to use a gun at home, ever! I'm scouring my mind to wrap it around this. I guess, on one hand, it's good he used something as something else (a block as a gun) - shows some imagination. But what do I do? I'm not 100% guns - I don't mind hunting (not that I want to do it) and of course, I like that our police force and military have them to keep us safe. But how do I explain that to my 4-year-old. Maybe another 4yo would understand those roles, but I don't think mine would. Advice??
And then the defiance. He opposes almost everything I say. It's time to play - he goes and sits on the couch. It's time to pick up - "no it's time to play cars." No more tv - meltdown. He and Squirt both say "I am so frustrated" when they get upset or get told no. It's so frustrating (pun intended). I do NOT want a disobedient child. I'm trying my best but it's not cutting it. Any suggestions?
Then I get home and read his planner notes for today. "Kept wanting a gun at school (used a block). I finally had to get really firm (no guns at school - we don't want to hear it again - Mr. G [the principal] says no guns at school). Then [Moose] said, "I'm getting frustrated. I want to go home." He says this quite often when told NO."
What do I do? I can't think of where he would pick up guns from. Yes, he watched The Fox and the Hound, but that doesn't sound like a rifle he was wanting if he used a block. And he's never pretended to use a gun at home, ever! I'm scouring my mind to wrap it around this. I guess, on one hand, it's good he used something as something else (a block as a gun) - shows some imagination. But what do I do? I'm not 100% guns - I don't mind hunting (not that I want to do it) and of course, I like that our police force and military have them to keep us safe. But how do I explain that to my 4-year-old. Maybe another 4yo would understand those roles, but I don't think mine would. Advice??
And then the defiance. He opposes almost everything I say. It's time to play - he goes and sits on the couch. It's time to pick up - "no it's time to play cars." No more tv - meltdown. He and Squirt both say "I am so frustrated" when they get upset or get told no. It's so frustrating (pun intended). I do NOT want a disobedient child. I'm trying my best but it's not cutting it. Any suggestions?
Comments
Merry Christmas. Wishing you MUCH joy!