Just a Game

He's five, will be six in June.  The time had come to introduce SIP to a sport.  For some families I imagine this isn't such a big deal.  I've seen their kids at church, school, birthday parties...all doing what they're supposed to be doing even if they're not having the greatest time.  This is not SIP.  We drag him kicking and screaming to school programs, summer camp, vacation Bible school, Sunday school, birthday parties...Many of you reading this blog have witnessed SIP's propensity to refuse certain social situations and have helped him cross such thresholds and some of you have watched us take the great parental walk of shame...back to the parking lot into the car after giving up the battle. 

I'm drawing the line at sports.  This I will not let him refuse.  This battle I have to win.

So I dragged him kicking and screaming to baseball practice for the first time a few weeks ago.  It was horrible.  He refused to participate and sat by the back fence in the grass swatting at gnats and cursing my name.  He then took off his shoes and threw them over the fence.  He also took off his glove and threw it over the fence.  It wasn't long before the sand gnats got the best of him and he came looking for me.  He raised his little anxiety ridden face to mine and implored, "I'm really trying to find my manners."

"Then I will help you," I replied, "Now go get your things and we will do this together."

Every practice since then, SIP has done great and though he won't admit it yet, he seems to enjoy baseball.  In the face of our soft culture, it would have been fine for me to give up, perhaps encouraged for the sake of sparing SIP's feelings.  Clearly he's not interested in sports, many say, don't force him.  It's just a game...

SIP's First Joke...Sort of

Last night SIP and his Dad prepared for bath time.  Dad ran the water in the tub as SIP undressed and chattered away as he can never do just ONE thing at a time. 


"Dad," he said, "Do you know which bug is the friendliest of all the bugs?" 


"No," Cale replied "Which bug is that?" 


"The Love Bug," SIP said. 


"What a great joke!" Cale exclaimed proud of the little guy and his growing intellect.


"It's not a joke," said SIP sternly, "It really is the nicest bug."

SIP's Way

October Log:    
     I am a student of Caesar Milan, the Dog Whisperer.  He teaches people how to develop healthier happier pets through exercise, discipline, and affection. I've found These principles are quite effective when put into practice for humans also.

     While SIP's transition to kindergarten has gone very well, it hasn't gone off without a hitch.  Primarily, he comes home very grumpy.  I've been trying to figure out ways to curb this unpleasant situation and an epiphany hit me last week...I should try walking him home in the  afternoons.  Perhaps this would help him burn off some energy and give him a chance to wind down from the long school day.
     We live half a mile from his school, which doesn't sound like a long walk until you've walked that distance with SIP who has no sense of urgency and is prone to meander.  So each afternoon I drive part of the way to pick him up and we walk a little ways down the street to our car.      
     I determined to put my new theory to the test and we walked that afternoon the entire way, a full mile for me round trip which gave me some much needed exercise as well.  It worked like a charm! For several days we made walking a regular part of our routine and his afternoon behavior improved dramatically.

     After a week of walking home from school, on Friday morning I told him I would take him to Wal-Mart after school to spend the ten dollar allowance he has saved up for three weeks.  On the way out the door he turned around and said, "Don't forget to bring the car though.  I don't want to walk to Wal-Mart!"