There's a First Time for Everything

{Really hard to see -- but he was so sad. And pouting.}

It's true -- there is a first time for everything.

Including time out!

See -- I'm pretty lenient with L. With both of my kids, for the most part. But as S gets older, she understands more and more what she shouldn't be doing, and does it to act out, out of frustration, for attention, whatever. So she is used to being sent to time out, or getting a moment to think about what she is doing.

But L?

He's mommy's baby.

And up until lately, he's pretty much gotten away with everything. I'll tell him No! Or redirect him ... but when you have a wild little boy, who is adventurous, and can easily get into everything, there comes a point when redirecting just won't work anymore.

The other day, after a particularly lousy nap, L woke up grumpy. Nothing was making him happy. He was crying and fussing and whiny. He wanted to be held and toted around constantly. Which is fine to a point. {I'm really used to doing everything with a child on my hip -- cooking dinner, vacuuming ... it can all be done with one hand!}

But I needed to put him down. Not only was my back killing me, but I had laundry that needed to be folded. L disagreed and went to fussing again. This time, he got mean, and with his favorite of the plastic kitchen utensils in his hand, he smacked me in the face.

If my 3 year old did that, you can bet I would probably have raised my voice. She would have been sent to the farthest reaches of her bedroom, and made to stay in there behind a closed door for awhile.

But this was L's first offense. And he's too little to really understand why I'm closing him in his room alone to "think" about what he had done.

So I plopped him down in time out in the living room, as I told him it's not okay to hit. No tv. No toys. And no attention from Mommy. I ignored him. Made S ignore him. And when his minute was up, he had the biggest, saddest pout on his face. I reminded him it is not okay to hit, and he just collapsed in my lap.

Talk about breaking my heart!

He is starting to push boundaries these days -- which is normal. After all, he's almost one and a half. And I'm sure time out will get more and more use as the days progress.

But man -- that first time ... I don't know who hurt more. Him, or me!