You are SO mean!

Does everyone go through this? By "THIS," I am referring to the 8-year-old phase of "You're mean" and "It's not fair!" 

Oh.my.geez!

This kid... and he's only the first of them to hit this stage. What will I do when I have the other three all hit it right close to the same ...UGH! 

Pray for me, folks... and while you're at it you might say a prayer for my kids!! 

I really truly wish that I had a dollar for every time I hear one of those two phrases in a day! I would never lack for funds! 

**Giving twins a bath in the a.m. with plans to give big boys a bath in the p.m.

 "That's not fair, *I* want a bath this morning too!"

**Taking Asher for one-on-one time with daddy, 

"That's not fair, I NEVER get to do anything alone!"

**Going to the store for groceries and NOT looking at Legos,

 "You are SO mean mommy! Daddy lets me look at them!"

**Getting in such a hurry to be first at all times that you run over your brother, so I say, "If you want to be first so badly, you can go to bed first tonight."  

"You are being SO MEAN TO ME, and I don't like it!" 

Surely I am not alone here, right? Surely every mother of 8 year old boys faces this problem... right?? 

RIGHT??

Today's breaking point... what led me to blog about it... was about Xander's homework.  See, Mrs. L stresses- EVERY DAY- in class how it's the students job to be responsible. Take responsibility for your actions. If you forget to do homework or bring it to class, admit it was your responsibility. Don't blame your mom or your sister or your dog or the teacher...

it is YOUR responsibility!

 AND, in our household, I made the "rule" that the classroom reader book will come home every day- for the sake of practicing his reading. 

Today's homework assignment is reading a 23 page story. It's all Mrs. L was requiring for today...just to read. And yet, Xander didn't bring home his book.

 His reason?

"Mrs. L didn't tell me to bring it home!"

Um... what happened to the rule that you bring it every day?

"Well, Mrs. L didn't remind us to bring it home!"

Um... who's responsibility is the reader? Xanders or Mrs. L?

My solution:

So... here is what you'll do since you can't do your homework... you will write repeatedly, "I will bring home my reader every day." 

His answer to that??
"THAT'S NOT FAIR!!"

AND... to top it off, he left his classroom newsletter at school today...this is the paper from the teacher with the homework, spelling, and vocab for the week on it. Well, I don't even have it to make him write his spelling words! UGH... so, on "spellingcity.com" you can view the teacher's spelling list for each reading story they assign. On that page, there is 15 words listed, but in class they only do 10 words. I made him write all 15 words 5 times each.... 

His answer to that??

"That's not fair! I only have TEN words for school, not 15!"

MY answer to THAT??
"If you had been responsible and brought home what you were SUPPOSED to bring home, I would KNOW what 10 words to make you write, but since you didn't, you will write all 15!"

Again...

"You are SO mean!"

(we WILL make it through this...we WILL make it through this... we WILL make it through this!)

-------------------------------------------------

One day, when he was saying the choice   annoying phrases, Mrs. L reassured me by saying,

 "When he says "mean" he really saying: 

"Mom, I don't like it, but you are making me a better person!"

Have I mentioned that I love his teacher??!!  I will be repeating that in my mind every time I hear the "it's not fair" or "you're so mean" from now on!