Lose the 'tude Dude!

My sweetP has developed an attitude. He has been a sweet, compliant, helpful, kind, reliable child. But in the last week or so, he has become whiny, demanding, unhelpful and rude. If he doesn't get what he wants he whines. When he wants something he demands it. When asked to help, he refuses. In general he has just been rude.

Yesterday, we changed the sheets on the boys beds. About an hour before bed I asked the boys to come help me make their beds. SweetE came up and helped. He pulled the corners of the fitted sheets on and put all of his stuffed friends back on the bed. SweetP showed up and when asked to help said, "No, I don't want to." Arghh. So I went off to do other chore upstairs until bed time. Ducky got home just in time to help with baths. SweetP's bed was still not made. The boys got out of their baths all clean and smelling good. They put on their jammies. Then it was time to get in bed. SweetP noticed his bed wasn't made, and demanded to know why.

I simply said that because he didn't think helping others was important, I didn't need to help him either. Natural consequence, if you don't help make your bed, your bed doesn't get made.

He is a stubborn child. (He is my clone after all.) And proceeded with the woe is me routine. We tucked sweetE into his bed, told them both good night and left the room. Reality sunk in. His bed wasn't going to be made unless he did it.

I came back in to check on them and found he was attempting to make his bed. He had the top sheet on first, sort of. When I told him he had the wrong sheet, he said, "I don't know how to make my bed." I replied, "Why do you think I wanted you to help. So you could learn how." I showed him how to put the corners on the fitted sheet and told him I would help if he got that sheet on by himself.

He managed and I showed him how to put the rest of the bed together. Then he demanded food. Arghhh. I don't want him to be hungry, but ask nicely. And say thank you for helping with your bed. He trotted downstairs a little later and asked for something to eat.

Better, I offered him the rest of graham crackers that he had gotten out earlier. He didn't want those. So I told him there weren't any other choices. He wandered off to bed without eating them. I guess he wasn't that hungry after all. We realized it was quarter to ten. Way past his bedtime. Would Thursday be any better?

So far today, ups and downs but over all better. There is hope after all.