Tough Love

I love Daniel. He is my firstborn. He teaches me how to be a parent. He can be really helpful. And he can really get under my skin!

Tonight, Daniel made his customary disparaging remark about dinner. (He does it with a flair of 'wit' and thinks he's showing some sort of coolness.) I didn't even give him a warning this time. Up to his room he went, without a word (he does have some wisdom).

As I sat and chewed on my food, I mulled over in my mind what to do about him. I seriously considered letting him go hungry. It wouldn't kill him and I'd make my point (hopefully), but I wasn't sure that would do it.

And then I struck upon something that would satisfy my guilt over not providing him the food part of "food and shelter," but would not let him feel he'd won either. After the family was done eating, he got a piece of bread and a cup of water. Welcome to the hard life, kid! (Talk about the bread of life!)

And this is something I think we can keep up. Eventually, he's going to think before he opens his mouth and says something stupid. It may be a while, though.