4th Day at the Cape

Subheader: Defiance

(Up at 5:01 a.m. again...  Must be the strange bedroom, and the sun rising at like 4:20 a.m. or something, but I cannot get Jack to sleep in.)

You know it's bad when you really really think you're doing everything wrong, though you know you are doing everything right. :) That's life with a 5-year old. As you've noticed in my previous posts, Jack is very "my way or the highway" sometimes. Though he's a really sweet and sensitive kid, he really wants to be in control. Mostly of himself. At all times. Even when danger is involved. So it's very hard to (excuse me while I interrupt myself...Jack is trying to use the Cape house computer and is screaming "Go already, why don't you just go already!!!!" because of course I'm sucking bandwidth by wirelessly blogging while he is trying to use the iMac.)  Where was I? Oh yeah, it's very hard to balance the freedom he needs with the discipline he also very surely needs. Some days you need a little help. Luckily I found this site which had a great article on how to deal with Defiance. :)

More on this later!

...okay I'm back... and here's why:

I truly agree with most of the tactics discussed in the mini article and try to use them daily. Sometimes, as we all do, I lose my way, and then have to regroup and start fresh. Today is one of those days.

We decided to take a leisurely walk around town. We're literally .25 miles from Main St.

Jack: Why are we NOT taking the car.
me: Because we're taking a nice family walk.
Dennis: Get out of the road, Jack.
Jack: I am NOT walking in poison ivy.
me: Get over to the side before a car comes whizzing by please.
Jack: (grudgingly) Well, I'm first in line, everyone else get behind me.
me: Actually I'm walking next to you because this is a busy road. (no sidewalks at this point)
Jack: Well, then why do YOU get to walk in the road when I said I wanted to and you said NO and then...
me: Because I'm in charge and I'm protecting you. End of story.
Jack: (muttering)
me: Jack, I gave you 3 strikes today. You wanted to watch Toy Story, and I said you had to have good behavior and no talking back. You've already gotten two strikes and it's only 10:30. Any more back talk and you'll get your third strike.
Jack: WHATever.
me: Okay, third strike. No video today.
Jack: (panicked) But, but I was being so gooooddddd, really I promise I will be good.
me: I'm glad you're promising because if you keep talking back, you'll have to sit in a time out, and that's no fun.
Jack: (sighs heavily, but no more backtalk!)

As it turns out, getting up at 5 a.m. for the last 3 days is wearing this kid out. He won't nap and really runs hard all day. Today, after our walk, we played "buffalo" again. I got him all comfy in his "pen" (bed) and covered him in "fur" (blankets).

Jack: I am NOT taking a nap, I already said I'm not tired. Yaawwwwwnnnnn!
me: No problem. What a nice buffalo you are! Can I come up and brush your fur?
Jack: Okay, but it's filthy, you'll have to wash your hands after.
me: That's fine. (I climb up and lay down with him and start brushing his back with my hand).
Jack: (after 5 minutes of that) Enough with the fur brushing. I think you're trying to get me to sleep.
me: I'll rub your buffalo ears then... (I rub his hair for like 30 seconds and he crashes hard asleep)

Just try and creep out of a plastic-encased top bunk while wrapped up in blankets and pinned to the wall. It took me 5 minutes to get to the edge of the bed! I'm glad Jack is happily snoozing now. He'll thank me for this later, someday...maybe...

Now I get a few minutes to myself. Dennis is picking up lunch and Jack will probably be alseep for an hour or two. He very much needed that sleep! Hopefully he wakes up on the right side of his cage. :)

(Update: 9:11 p.m.)
After Jack woke up from his nap, he was hysterically funny. All smiles and chuckles. Total good mood. Amen to my determination to have him sleep.

Jack: Ahhh you tricked me again and left the room while I was sleeping, didn't ya? heh heh.
me: You were out cold, snoring like a Yak.
Jack: I was pretty bad on our walk before wasn't I. (very smart kid)
me: Yes, you were horrible. But, you were tired and it's up to me and Daddy to help you out when you need it. Aren't you glad I sort of insisted that you get some extra sleep?
Jack: (sheepish) Yeah.
me: Are you going to sleep a little later tomorrow then, so you don't have to take another nap?
Jack: Uh, I don't know about that. I really like waking up early. It makes me think like we're going someplace special.