Me: "Scientist, could you please take the dog out?"
Scientist: ignores me
Dog: "Woof!"
Me: "Scientist?"
Scientist: ignores me
Dog: "Woof!"
Me: "Hey! Can you hear us? The dog needs to go out."
This has always been his job. In his toddlerhood it was really the dog's job to make sure I heard about it if anyone came into the fenced-in backyard where the Scientist was allowed to play by himself. There is no way he doesn't know that the dog barking at him in the evening and the morning means he is to get up and let the dog out. Twice a day like clockwork, every day, for his whole life, this has happened.
Dog: "Woof! Woof! Woof!"
Scientist gets up and puts shoes on.
Me: "Did you hear me?"
Scientist: "YES! ARGH!"
Me (remembering a complaint he had several months ago about me interrupting his play with requests): "Would it be better for you if we had a schedule written down and put on the wall, so you remember what to plan around?"
Scientist: ignores me and puts coat on
Me: "Did you hear me?"
Scientist: ignores me and walks towards back door
Me: "It's not okay for you to just not answer me, or anyone who is talking to you. Answer me."
Scientist: puts hood up
Me: "Answer me."
Scientist: "ARGH!"
Me: "That's not an acceptable answer either."
Scientist: velcroes hood across face
Me: "Would it be better for you if we had a schedule written down?"
Scientist: "NO!"
Me: "Do you have any other ideas for how to make it better?"
Scientist: turns towards door
Me: "We're still talking. You can't just walk away."
Scientist: turns back, says nothing
Me: "Do you have any other ideas?"
Scientist: "No!"
Me: "Do you want to work up some together?"
Scientist: turns towards back door again as though to walk away
Me: "Hey! Answer me! Do you want to make this better?"
Scientist: "Argh!"
Me: "That's not an acceptable answer."
Scientist: "I don't want to work on ways to make it better because it CAN'T be made better!"
Some days, this is how he responds to every single prompt on my part.
We keep a relatively predictable rhythm in the mornings and evenings (although we haven't found a groove for schooling in the new apartment yet). He knows he's evading a thing before I prompt him to do it.
Is this normal pre-pubescent surliness? What do I do?
Yes, it is normal. And my husband tells me it is going to last for a while and all we can do is wait it out :( I am assuming he knows since he used to be a boy ;)
ReplyDeleteI think that's normal for every kid! I just read a good book on kid behavior, called 'Have a New Kid by Friday' by Dr. Kevin Leman. This book has totally changed my daughter!
ReplyDeleteWow, it's like I'm reading a page out of my own diary. I can tell you that he'll snap out of it by age 14 or so, but I can't tell you what to do about the day to day aggravation. My own method was to be very business like.
ReplyDeleteMe: "Hey, JM. Walk the dog, please."
JM: "....."
Me: "I said 'walk the dog.' Stand up, politely acknowledge my existence, and walk the dog. Now."
Most days that worked. Other days got a little crazy. ;)