Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Punish Me!

Growing up, when things got really bad around the house, my mom would sometimes say, "Just wait until your dad comes home, he is going to here about this." I can tell you now that was a very effective threat, none of us wanted that to happen.

Logic would follow that when I had kids of my own, that I too could pull out that little beauty in times of distress. I'm afraid that when it comes to packing "threatening daddy" heat, some women have machine guns strapped to their backs while I have a can of silly string in my back pocket. Our daddy is just not scary--at all. Allow me to explain...

One week in primary Will was acting up and so one of the counselors said, "Will, do I need to take you to see your daddy?" No sooner had she spoke the words than his face lit up and he was out of his chair and out the door to go and find what I like to think of as his human bouncy house. When the counselor and Will found Josh, she said to him, "He isn't very afraid of you is he?" Nope.

Josh is always making up silly games to play with the kids and has certain things that he says to them all the time. Every day Josh walks in the door and the boys run and hide and wait to be found so they can race and wrestle and do all the fun things that daddy does. Well, Josh always says to the boys when he catches them (in a deep, growly voice) "I'm going to punish you!" and then proceeds to tackle them and tickle them, and whatever else causes sheer delight and glee for a 4 and 2 year old. I can tell you now that I will NEVER be able to say, "Just wait until your dad gets home..." because lately, Giggies comes up to Josh in his sweet little voice and asks, "Will you punish me, daddy?" and then stands there with a silly smile on his face waiting for his "punishment" to be handed down.

I can just see it now, our boys will be in trouble at school one day, and their teachers will tell them they'll need to be punished, and they erupt in happiness waiting to be punished. Boy, do they love their daddy, though.

5 comments:

AnnaMarie said...

That is so funny! Way to go, Josh. Avoid the dad punishment job!

Jen I said...

That is so funny, also because, to my surprise, Ryan really IS kind of scary. One morning we found Cash's monitor had accidentally been unplugged, but we're pretty sure (from what the neighbors next to Cash's room tell us) that he had been crying for nearly an hour and a half (I know - I felt soooo bad!). But as soon as Ryan went in there, Cash got all scared and just started saying, "Sorry daddy, sorry daddy, no more crying, no more crying..." I guess he's used to some ferociousness when he cries and so he was already scared knowing what would come from Ryan! Sad, I know! But I've been surprised at how much I am the softie and Ryan is the disciplinarian. So good, that line still works for me. :)

emily j said...

That's too bad, because that line works great for me. Sometimes that's how I find out the kids are up to no good, because I'll walk in the room and Cameron will say "Please don't tell daddy!" Or I can pick up the phone and pretend I'm calling him at work. It works like a charm :)

Darcy said...

Our kids LOVE "beatings" people I'm sure look at us strange when we say you better be good or I'll give you a beating. What that means is we tickle them until they can't do anything but laugh their little head off!!!

Lofgrens said...

That is so funny - but that is how our family was growing up. It was Mom we were afraid of. Dad was the fun push-over. And that's not necessarily a bad thing! Bummer about not being able use that threat though- maybe something else will work though. If I come up with anything, I'll let you know.