Did I lose? Did I win?

[zenmondo]

Yesterday afternoon, I tried to do a good thing. I took Conor to go see Star Wars at the cheap-seats in the mall. He was really good -- for him at the movies, and had a good time. When I told him the scary part was about to happen (Anakin getting burned) he covered his eyes. I think more because he knows that it bothers me, than it disturbs him.

Next door to the cheap seats is an Arcade. Conor loves the arcade but it is too much for him. He was thinking about going there the entire movie, and it was my bargaining chip for him to be good at the movie.

Not only is the place awash in light and sound, there are too many choices. First which games to play, and second if he wins tickets what prize to get.

For the first 10 minutes he is literally just running around the place taking it all in. Finally I got him to spend his three tokens. He gets tickets, and its another big decision for a prize.

All the prizes suck. We had 15 tickets (we found 5 unclaimed ones sticking out of a machine) and he didn't seem to like any of the prizes he could get. I bargained for a 20 ticket prize -- a tiny squishy ball I thought he would like. As we left, the meltdowns began.

Now, he was upset at his prize -- I don't blame him, it DOES suck. He was so upset, buffalogal and I thought we could use what money we had to get him a decent "prize". SO I run to Wal-Mart and buy a Mace Windu doll from the Jedi Force Line -- these oversized Star Wars dolls, that he has and loves. The condition being he is "super good" and takes his medicine.

I get home, and Conor is calm, and has been super-good. I give him the toy, and what I recieve in return is another melt down. He was tired, and mad at me, because I am sure he had in mind just what he wanted for a prize, and a Jedi Force Mace Windu doll was not it.

Because he was mad at me, he said the most hurtful thing he could think of to me, "I hate Star Wars!"

As the tantrum went on, he even started naming all the Star Wars things he had that he didn't want anymore. I knew he didn't mean it, and was just trying to hurt me.

Before long, the melatonin kicked in, and he was asleep, the Mace Windu doll, unopened.

This morning, Conor tore into the packaging and played with it all morning.

A little sleep and the kiddo is right as rain.

Its tough being a dad.

Comments

[nectarfizz.livejournal.com]

Must be in the air.Isabelle was a regular pain the patooty today. I want I want I want were her favorite words today...sigh

[elvenforever.livejournal.com]

Sounds like you won, to me. BTW, I may not be a kid, but there are times I'm emotionally overwhelmed for whatever reason and lose my temper and say things I don't mean. And everything comes out okay in the end because Sean understands that THAT'S what is happening. I'm not defending myself, mind you, I'm saying I do this and I'm an ADULT. I think you did a very good job and once Conor had gotten his needs met (in this case, sleep) he was just fine. I operate along the same lines -- I have to have certain basic needs met, like sleep and food and medicine -- to be fine.

I don't know why I'm telling you all this except to say that in some ways I relate to Conor and I want you to know that you are a very, very, very good dad!

[liplash.livejournal.com]

You won. =) I'm just jealous, because I can't have kids. So you know, just by the nature of being a father, you won.

[hyperblaster.livejournal.com]

We all get cranky at our loved ones sometimes... even if that loved one is Star Wars. That doesn't mean we stop loving them :)