When will this end

Another day of tears. Another day of refusing to do what he is asked to do. I'm tired.

Firstborn refused to listen to me when I asked him to stop sharpening a pencil and get his shoes on so we could go. He explained that he needed the pencil to do his homework in the car on the way home and I promised to sharpen one and bring it along when I picked him up. He continued to sharpen and look at me defiantly. I know it's a stupid little thing, but it's the way it's done. I can't stand my family ignoring me when I say something. I know I can't stop this in DH, but I'd really like my kids to be good partners some day and this is definitely not a way to do it. So I took away his best friend for the day. No playdate with NDN (next door neighbor). He cried.

Later, when we got home and completed everything, he kept forgetting that he had lost playtime with NDN and asking to go over there. Every time I reminded him, he would cry.

I feel for him. I suspect some of this is being upset from the listening, but it could just be he's on the rag. You know, a mood.

So How'd it go today, you ask. Well, after a bit of fighting, he chose to read a book while listening in the living room. (after tears, why can't I watch TV while doing this? Why can't I play with the computer).

When he completed, he came into the kitchen to tell me with a smile on his face. How'd it go? I asked. It was OK. No Nausea? Nope. He finished the first CD. I had thought that there would be 15 tracks so he would do 3 each day for 5 days and then repeat the CD. So I looked in the book to see what gives and what the schedule should be.

In glancing through the book I noticed a list of approved and non-approved activities during listening.

You're not supposed to read. Well. Oops. Too many details for my very old brain. I'm so glad they wrote it all down or I will never get this right.

We both laughed at my mistake. Tonight he told daddy that "you can't do anything fun while you listen. No TV, no computer and No Reading either!"



I told him that someday he may really like listening. He wasn't convinced. :-)