Picking your Battles

I yelled at my son yesterday. I really try to avoid doing that, but sometimes I snap.

A few days ago, I made homemade chicken noodle soup. It was amazing. But, the best thing about making a big vat of soup is that for the next few days we get to have leftover soup. For the woeful beings who eat their soup out of a can, I'll let you in on a secret. Leftover soup is vastly superior to fresh soup.

So all of us were dishing and heating bowls of deliciousness, and I went to get a spoon. I opened the drawer and saw that Declan had spilled about half a cup of soup inside the drawer, picked up a clean spoon and went about his evening. Are you fucking kidding me? I lost it. He did not respond well.

Though Declan did scrub the drawer, he also launched into one of his epic fits. And I mean epic. This son of mine is known for his commitment to his own anger. His first preschool teacher only taught one year. I don't believe it had anything to do with having to carry him, kicking and screaming, back to school from an unfortunate attempt at a field trip to the public library. At any rate, because I dared demand he clean up after himself, Declan bunkered in at the top of the stairs and would use toys as projectiles to anyone who dare approach. Great.

I sent The Husband up to try and talk him down from the ledge. Literally.

Declan gave up his position and fled to his bedroom behind the safety of his door. The Husband called through the door and offered to go in and talk through it. This was completely unacceptable to Declan, and he told The Husband "Don't you come in here! I have a wrench and I'm ready to GO!"

The Husband quickly weighed the risk. Though he thought it was probable that Declan did not, in fact, have a wrench and an even slimmer chance that he would actually use it, he knew that the boy does have an impressive and very accurate throwing arm and decided it would be best to give him some space.

Before long, Declan came downstairs on his own brandishing only a sheepish apology. We discussed the appropriate and inappropriate uses of hand tools, and everyone enjoyed some soup.