Developmental Angst

So the kids are out of town, but don't worry, so's their mom. And I had to come home and work. And Boy is "testing limits," as the child development books have it. In layman's terms, he's being an incredible pain. This morning, after he'd turned off the computer while ...

Wait a minute. It occurs to me, my wife needs a name. Something that will preserve her real-world anonymity, yet be endearing enough that I'll feel confident about using it in this blog. Something like... SW.

So this morning, after Boy had turned off the computer while SW was using it, and received the requisite admonition, warning, and explanation... he put Girl up to, yes, turning off the computer while SW was using it. Now I'm sure the legal issues here are well understood, but what about the parenting issues? Here's the problem: he's five, and...

... I'm thinking, actually, that that's pretty much it. But MAN, is it hard to take.

And Girl's going through a similar stage of "testing," only hers is less devious and more dangerous: she'll do things like run off down the block, and keep going when we tell her to stop; a few nights ago we were out for a late walk and she kept heading into the street, largely because we had told her not to. Finally, in exasperation - and no, I don't believe in spanking, but... - I swept her up and gave her a swat on the bottom. A light swat, I hasten to say, on her diapered bottom. Nevertheless, the point isn't whether it hurts, is it? The point is... well, I don't believe in spanking, again, even more than I didn't before. (I also wonder - cause that's the kind of person I am - if Girl is less likely to walk in the street now...)