Bowleesto

Monday

Me: “Hey, do me a favor, and start cleaning up this ridiculous mess you have in the living room.”

Sippy Cup (under his breath): “Bowleesto.”

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Tuesday

Me: “The way I see it, you have two choices: you can either listen to me or you can sit on time-out until you’re ready to listen to me.”

Sippy Cup (sighing): “Fine! Bowleesto.”

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Wednesday

Me: “Hey buddy! It’s time for your bath!"

Sippy Cup (screaming from the room): “BOWLEESTO!”

Me: “Bowleesto to you!”

Sippy Cup (coming out of the room with a shocked expression):

“Dad! You can’t say that! That’s a bad word!”

Me: “So, wait a second, all of this time that you’ve been saying it…”

M.O.M. (nodding): “He’s been cursing you out. That’s right.”

Me (sighing while looking at him): “How do I discipline an imaginary curse word?”

Sippy Cup (sighing while shrugging his shoulders): “Bowleesto?”

Code of Conduct

Me: “Listen, I don’t think you should be ‘wrestling’ in school.”

Sippy Cup: “Well, he pushed me first.”

Me: “It doesn’t matter. If somebody pushes you or hits you, you have to tell the teacher first.”

Sippy Cup: “What if I tell the teacher and they don’t stop?”

Me: “Well, then, I guess it's up to you to tell them to stop.”

Sippy Cup: “And what if they still don’t stop?”

Me: “Then, fine, at that point I guess you can defend yourself.”

Sippy Cup: “Ok. Got it. I tell the teacher..."

Me: "Excellen-"

Sippy Cup: "And then I hit them."

Me (sighing): “I’m going to get so many phone calls from your school…”

Sippy Cup (in an impressive crane kick position): "HIII-YAAA!"

Silent Posting (16)

Home Sweet Home

Me (sitting at the dining room table):

"Now that you've started school, we should probably go over some basic info."

Sippy Cup: "Ok."

Me: "So, do you know where you live?"

Sippy Cup: "Yeah.  Here."

Me (sighing) : "Good job."

The 5th Stage

Mutts © 2002 Patrick McDonnell

** Editors Note ** - In 2002, after a full year of trying to make sense of what I had experienced, this cartoon strip gave me the best advice possible.

I clipped it, kept it and now share it with my son and with all of you. 

I hope, in whatever small way, it helps you too.