The Ninny Conqueror

Good morning! Well, as of yesterday Graham had returned to normal. Well, at least his bowels had returned to normal. He still seemed pretty whiny yesterday. I don't know whether it was because he was particularly tired, particularly sensitive, or whether the girls were particularly mean, Whatever the reason, he was definitely wearing his "wittle heart on his sweeve." I know, I know. That seems mean and uncaring, but, as long as I am still on the subject of being mean to my kiddos for the sake of their own benefit, let me continue.

Graham has this habit of running out of the playroom crying, screaming and shrieking whenever something does not go his way. The usual bellow is "No one loves me. The girls hate me" while he continues running and screaming through the house. While I know the girls can be mean to him on occasion, his behavior does nothing but egg them on more. Furthermore, running and screaming out of a room because the girls knocked your legos over really isn't an appropriate response. He has got to learn how to deal with these instances. We have spent quite a bit of time working with him and talking to him about it. We have gone as far as suggesting alternate behaviors and solutions.

All to know avail. Still, the moment something goes wrong my son changes from confident manly Daddy spawn into screaming ninny.

Recently (very recently, as in last night), I have resorted to punishing him every time he does it. Regardless of the reason, if he handles it in the ninny fashion he is punished and there is no investigation into the reason the whole incident started. In other words, if he comes screaming out of the room, the girls get away with whatever they did to him. Don't get me wrong, I am sure the deserve punishment. However, in this case, we need enough incentive to keep Graham from ninny-dom and not being fair to him is likely to be what works best. He can't stand it when things aren't fair. (That is a whole other life lesson and I will wait until he is a little older to learn that one. That reality might send him to the funny farm given his current state.)

Honestly, he is an awesome kiddo. I am proud to call him one of my twerps. In fact, if we did away with this little habit he would be downright perfect.

Hopefully, from now on you will be able to call me Mark the ninny conqueror.

I've got purpose, yes I do. I've got purpose, how about you?