No Fair!

Let me start by saying that Brian gave the boys pancakes this morning, so they were by no means starving. Brian and Sean each had a big stack and then played on the Wii. I was upstairs feeding and changing Justin. A little bit later Brian left for work and Sean wanted me to cut up some watermelon. I have no idea why, but for some reason my husband has a fear of cutting up fruit. When there is a watermelon or cantaloupe to be sliced his response is always, "Go ask Mom." Makes me crazy! I wonder if there is a real fruit cutting up phobia.

Back to this morning. I cut up the watermelon and filled two bowls. I even remembered to put Sean's in the Sponge Bob bowl and Brian's in a plain bowl. Crisis avoided, point one for Mom and it isn't even 9:30 am yet! I set the bowls, and forks, at the table and called the boys. Sean came running in and immediately gobbled up his share. Brian came a bit later and decided he wasn't in the mood for watermelon anymore.

When Sean heard that Brian didn't want his, he quickly glanced up at me. He didn't even have to ask; his eyes were pleading for the second bowl. I told him he could have it and it disappeared in a matter of seconds! Of course, when Brian found out that Sean was eating his watermelon, he wanted it back. I should have seen that one coming. Knowing that it was all a game, I told Brian that he would have to wait a bit for more. I know. Mean Mom, but he has to learn to live with the consequences of his decisions. Plus, he didn't really change his mind, he didn't really want watermelon, he just didn't want Sean to have it.

A little bit later he did come to me and politely ask for some watermelon. I got out a bowl and began to cut up a slice. He came into the kitchen and said that he wanted a big piece, not cut up in a bowl. I asked him to wait a minute and finished cutting the piece I was working on. He proceeded to whine and throw a fit. Next came more whining and dropping to the floor rolling around, added with more whining. I didn't even tell him no. I just asked him to wait. There was still a whole half left. It is not like I had finished cutting the last of it into bite size pieces.

I stopped what I was doing and just stared at him. When he finished his tantrum, he told me I was no fair. That is his favorite thing to say lately. No fair, I almost had to laugh . No fair we live in a nice house. No fair he has tons of toys and video games. No fair he goes to a great school. No fair he has two younger brothers. No fair our fridge and pantry are full of good food. No fair he has 400 channels to watch on TV. No fair he has plenty of clothes and warm winter coats. No fair he gets great birthday parties. No fair he has heat in the winter and air conditioning in the summer. No fair he has a warm bed to sleep in. The list could go on and on.

Obviously, at age seven, I do not expect him to understand. But as an adult I find humor in the fact that so much is 'not fair' to kids. I understand that his definition of 'no fair' is totally age appropriate. As an adult you realize that most of the time your childhood worries have no place in the adult world. Of course, there are always exceptions. Some kids do have to face and deal with adult problems. I wish that were never the case. It saddens me when kids have to grow up too quickly.

Okay, Brian was whining on and on, trying to plead his case for a big slice. He tells me he saw the pictures of when I let Sean eat a big piece. He was in school - bad Mom for making him go to school! The funny thing is that he did all this and wasted all of this energy for nothing. I was going to let him eat a big piece. He just needed to be patient for a few seconds. He really needs to work on paience - and self-control. But after the way he decided to act, he got nothing. No big piece and no little pieces either. He was devastated and threw himself on the floor again. This did little more than earn him a time-out and confirm my decision.