Parenting is not for the weak!

I made a mistake yesterday. I was too comfortable with how the prior 2 days had gone so I commented about how good things were going - big mistake!

About 2 weeks ago when the kids and I were at the library we noticed a flyer for a magician coming to the Danville High School. The tickets were only $5 each so the price was reasonable. We are not spending extra money right now because the gas prices are killing us! However, we thought that we would swing the $25 for a fun family outing. It was to be held on Wednesday night so we would be missing church. We decided that since we were doing a family outing and not just skipping for another reason, that it would be fine to go ahead.

This is all the kids have talked about for a week! Every time we go to the library Christian always looks for magic books. There have been several TV programs on over the past several months that the kids watch over and over and over trying to see if they can figure out the tricks. Magic has invaded our house :)

Anyway, yesterday morning I reminded the kids that tonight is the magic show. I told them there would be no whining, griping or complaining because going to the show is a privilege and we did not have to go. They were on "their best behavior" all day. Emma even took a nap because we figured it would be a late evening. (She is outgrowing her naps so I only try to lay her down every other day or when we have something special going on).

Great day - until dinner.

Emma has a MAJOR breakdown! Tim spanked her, it didn't stop. I looked her straight in the face and told her that if she did not quit, she was going to bed and we would both be missing the magic show - that she really wants to see - and that I really want to go to with the family. I would be really sad not to get to go. Emma stuck to her guns and continued her fit. I put her to bed at 6:15 last night and the boys went to a magic show.

She did not cry another tear or any type of fit after she was in bed. I heard her talking and singing for about 2 hours. She kept wanting to know when it was going to get dark (daylight savings time is keeping it lighter now). I told her I didn't know. It was her fault she was in bed so early because we were supposed to be at a magic show. I made her take that nap earlier today so she could stay up late - her response: Oh yeah.

I had Tim take our 2 extra tickets to see if someone might be willing to buy them off of us, even at a cheaper price. Like I said, money is really tight because of the gas prices and our budget isn't stretching as far as it used to. We weren't counting on it.

I must admit that I sulked for a little while. I put on my pj's and thought that I would just watch TV since I didn't have to fight the remote with anyone (a night without Disney channel). Guess what? There is NOTHING on television on Wednesday nights! I didn't want to mop the kitchen or clean the bathrooms because I had a few hours to myself so I watched nothing on TV. I was a true channel surfer!

Tim and the boys got home at almost 10 last night! The show was 2 1/2 hours. Tim said that the magician actually "preached" a 20-30 minute sermon in the middle of his act. WOW! The boys thought that was cool. They had a good time. I wish Emma and I could have joined them for our family fun outing.

But ....... parenting isn't for the weak! Emma learned a hard lesson last night. I think that she will look back and know we did the right thing. I think it spoke to the boys too. If we are not going to take that kind of behavior from a 4 year old, we definitely won't take it from them!

BTW, Tim sold the tickets back to the people. I really think that was a GOD thing. He knows we are trying to teach our kids responsibility. I believe we were rewarded (our money back) for doing the right thing last night.

Doing the right thing is not always easy and parenting is not for the weak!

As a side note, Emma ate her dinner for breakfast this morning.