My Son and The Cab Ride
By Bill | February 26, 2010
How can two kids from the same gene pool be so different? I know that my brothers and I were all from the same gene pool, but were we really this different? Kids never cease to amaze me, confuse me and enlighten me, usually all at the same time.
My kids and I have a routine each morning. They wake themselves up, shower, get ready, make breakfast, make their lunch, collect their back packs and are prepared to be out the door by 7:00 am. At least that is how the routine is suppose to play out. For the most part it usually works this way. That is as long as Jack chooses to participate in the routine.
Michaela has never had a problem with our routine. I am not sure if it is because she is a girl, or that she loves to please but whatever the reason I am happy that she is on top of it. Her beloved brother Jack is just the opposite. When Michaela is finishing breakfast and stuffing books in her backpack Jack is hitting the snooze button for the 14th time. I really never knew that you could hit your snooze button so many times. I figured that after the first 4 snoozes the alarm just says “To hell with it, I’m done” and turns itself off. Obviously Jacks alarm does not work this way.
Each morning at 7:10 I drop Jack off at the bus stop and then drive Michaela off to her school. In order to accomplish this we MUST be out of the house no later than 7:00 am. If we are late leaving (due to Jack) I seem to find find myself running yellow lights and watching 35 mph signs go by in a blur as I speed down the street at 55 mph. I like to threaten Jack that if I get a speeding ticket he is paying for it. I can hear him thinking “Yea right Dad, good one”.
This week I finally put my foot down but not on the accelerator. I told Jack that if he was not ready to go by 7:00 am there would be consequences. Should we miss the bus I was going to drop him off at a local hotel and he could take a cab from there. Again I heard him think “Yea right Dad, good one“.
Well sure enough this Tuesday it happened again. Jack took his time getting ready so I just let him mosey along. Michaela on the other hand was doing everything in her power from not cracking a smile as he slowly exited the house at 7:04 am and entered the car. There was no way that we were going to make the bus. When Jack realized that I was driving within the speed limit, and not running yellow lights he began to look a bit concerned. When he finally realized that we had missed the bus he did what any other kid would do in his situation. He began to negotiate with me.
Well true to my word, I was not about to get into a negotiating session with him now. Michaela on the other hand was bursting out laughing inside. As the little sister she knows when to laugh loudly and when to keep it in. She did the right thing this time and I was going to follow her lead.
Right after I dropped Michaela off Jack decided that since the negotiating wasn’t working he would try the next best thing, the only arrow left in his quill, he would make threats. I always love it when kids do that as as it shows they are on their last leg. He proclaimed that he wasn’t about to go to school in a cab, let alone pay for it. He would just go home and wait on me to come to my senses and drive him. No problem my fine son… I will just call the principle tell him the facts and I am sure that he will side with you Jack.
That was the last conversation I had with Jack that morning. As he got in the Yellow Cab, with the fine middle eastern driver, I waived good bye to him. I was so proud of him as he learned about one more form of public transportation. I also learned that day I was waiving good bye to those stressful last minute exits we had been experiencing.When Jack got home that night he had a a smile on his face and a brand new attitude. He understands why I did what I did, and although he wont admit it, he learned something.
Sometimes you just have to parent with love and consequences if you want to succeed. I may have just one a battle but I am now one step closer to winning the war. I am proud of him and I am proud of myself. Parenting involves tough choices but choices that need to be made sometimes in order for the routine to succeed.
Oh by the way, ever since that morning Jack has been ready to go by 6:55 am. What will Michaela have to laugh about now….
Topics: General, How to Communicate with Your Kids, Raising Children as a Single Parent, The Craziness of Single Parenting | Add First Comment »