My 15-year-old son asked if he could do something yesterday after school. Because of what he wanted, the answer was "no". He didn't like that and launched into a full out attack on me. He swore at me in front of the twins (I asked him to please not use those words - he told me to go somewhere where it's super duper hot!), he threatened me (said he wasn't going to school and that I couldn't make him and that he was going to flunk out cuz he just don't care!) and attempted to ground me from my friends (yeah, like "no more hanging out with Nancy because you two get into too much trouble" - for the record, we are in business together, go to the temple together and exercise together - BIG trouble the two of us are!).
I held my tongue and kept myself calm (my husband always counsels me that "cool heads prevail!). I didn't engage and continued on with my responsibilities of being a mother and all the other things I'm supposed to be doing. We got home and he went into his room, slammed his door and locked himself in. I went in to check on him several hours later (uh, dinner? teenager?) only to find him completely passed out! Ok, that explains a lot!
You see, we were on vacation and got home very early in the morning on Sunday. This child of mine has gone non-stop since with his friends. He has logged in much less sleep than I and I am still struggling to get on top of it!
So this morning I wake him up from his 13 hour slumber only to be faced with my loving, sweet and helpful boy again. No sign of the monster that visited me yesterday. Not even a mention of this horrible creature.
I'm so grateful for parenting classes. Holding your tongue may well be the most difficult exhibit of self-control but the pay-off is HUGE!!!
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