My Kids Might have thought it was a Training Exercise

The other night we kept an extra 4 year old for the night. His mom had an out patient operation on her foot and due to medication and her hubby working 2nd shift she would have been alone with MrK - unable to walk about and most likely unable to focus due to the meds. So we volunteered to have him stay.

TheKing was sooooooooooo excited!! MrK was too - at first - and then he got kinda tired - and I think (being an only child) that he might have become tired of all the other kiddo's treating him like "just another kid". Closer to the end of the evening MrK began to melt down a bit. This honor is generally reserved for TheKing - he melts down the closer we get to bedtime. That particular night MrK beat him to the melt down and TheKing could only sit and watch. Personally I think he was watching for any weakness BigGuy and I might show. Kinda like athletes watching an instructional tape over and over again to figure out where the other team might be infiltrated at a weak point. He was looking for our weak point I am certain!

At one point TheKing and MrK were sitting on the couch watching Scooby Doo. SuperStar was with them but sitting in a chair. The Little Boys were sharing a blanket. Apparently TheKing tugged on his end, MrK became upset and tugged back and then hit TheKing - TheKing hit back. MrK cried foul and began shouting to me, "TheKing has done something terrible to me" ..........did I mention he has the cutest little British Man accent? Yeah, he is just here from London. So he is yelling the injustice in his British accent. Imagine that. Cute right? At first at least.

"TheKing has done a terrible thing. Help Me." SuperStar is not moving ..... so MrK shouts it louder to attract me. TheKing is not even moving out of fear he would be punished - which is why I figured there were two sides to this story. SuperStar explained that MrK hit TheKing and TheKing hit back. Okay, Simple. I knew what to do.

"TheKing you have to apologize for hitting. Even when you are angry it is not right to hit. Always use your words." TheKing turned to MrK, reached out his arms and said, "I am sorry MrK." Done. One down.

I turned to MrK. "MrK you have to apologize for hitting. Even when you are angry it is not right to hit. Always use your words." MrK looked at me like I had grown an extra head and said, "No, he hit me. I won't say I am sorry." Sigh. "You must apologize or leave the room MrK." Burying his head into the couch so I can't get him I guess (although his body was rather right there) he screamed back, "I will not say I am sorry (remember this is a British accent). I am too tired to say I am sorry." Sigh. "Fine if you are too tired then it is time for a rest and I will take you upstairs." "No!" he shouted back popping his head up, "I won't take a rest." "Then say you are sorry." "No, I am too tired!" This is where TheKing tried to help, "You can sleep in my bed then." he offered up. "No!" shrieked MrK, "I am not sleeping." So I added, "Then all you need to do is say you are sorry to TheKing."

Silence for a moment. TheKing was watching very closely to all the action. SuperStar was watching ScoobyDoo with a snicker look on her face. MrK was seething at me with snot trickling out of his nose.

He whispered, "I am sorry." TheKing said, "I can't hear him." and without prompting MrK looked at him and said louder, "I am sorry TheKing and I am not taking a rest."

Honestly I think he only said it to appease the situation. I don't think he was at all sorry for hitting TheKing - which is only fair as I think TheKing only said he was sorry because he has already had to take a rest for losing his temper earlier - plus TheKing is conditioned to our rules - he knew we would pick him up and send him to bed.......MrK wasn't used to the rules - he probably thought he could break me. Which leads me to wonder - do you think the kids only say "sorry" for things we tell them to because they know it is the quicker way to end it all? Or do they really feel it? Do I really care as long as it is done? Probably a little, but not enough to keep this going.

As I left the room I heard SuperStar say to MrK, "Next time just say you are sorry at the beginning and it won't take so long."

Sigh.