That is the question I've been debating with myself for a little while now. Do I punish my son's backtalking and disrespect with a little taste of soap or is that cruel and unusual punishment?
Granted, he's only 4; however, the things that are coming out of that boy's mouth are reminiscient of me as a teenager. In fact, I don't even think I had the balls to say this stuff as a teenager.
Somehow, and God I wish I knew how, my parents instilled the fear of God in me to obey what they said. Well, I know how my dad did it and I won't go into that, but how did my mom do it? Was it the looks? Because I can only think of twice that she ever laid a hand on me. Was it the tone in her voice?
I've tried time-outs. I've tried spanking, which I swore I would never do. I even smacked his little face a couple times, which has left me with nightmares I would just as soon forget. He seems scared to death of the soap option, but he still continues to smart off. Sooner or later I'm either going to have to shit or get off the pot here. The empty threat is soon going to be realized and have no power... of course, if he is continually doing the behavior then I guess the threat is in fact empty.
Last night, after several threats to go get soap, I ran upstairs with him hanging onto my shirt tail begging me not to get it and that he wouldn't be mean anymore. I trucked on to the linen closet and came out with a bar of soap and kept it beside me for the rest of the evening. Granted, he acted a little better, but it just pisses me off that I had to go get it in the first place.
I know that part of this behavior is the holidays and his schedule is all off, but I can't blame it all on that. I've decided to not do a whole lot about it right now, just try to survive; however, once the New Year is here and the house is put back to normal and he is back on schedule................. things are gonna change.
