When Your Kid Is "The Bad One"

I have always viewed my children's behavior as a reflection of myself and my parenting. When my kids have a meltdown in public, it's waaay personal for me.

Why are they doing this? What am I doing wrong to make them behave like this? How do I get them to stop?

My first son was easy, although back then I would have never believed you. Let me rephrase, my first son was easy, compared to my second son.

Oh, my Little BooBoo, he is so naughty. He is 2, so he is actually right on schedule for naughty but he is really, deliciously naughty. He has moxie and gumption and all the wonderful qualities that will someday make him a wonderful leader. He loves to wrestle, punch, make anything into a gun or sword and goes around telling everyone, "SHOW YOURSELF!", because he is prepared to do battle with you. He is a 5 year old boy in a 2 year old's body.

What have I gotten myself into? But more importantly, what the hell am I gonna do about it?

To tell you quite honestly, I have no idea. I have a Bachelor's Degree in Child Development which isn't worth the paper it's written on. I have read a gazillion books on child discipline and run a pretty tight ship. I expect appropriate behavior in my kids; I loathe attitude, entitlement and overly aggressive behavior. That said, my Little BooBoo is really testing my parenting methodology. What worked for the first kid ain't working for the second and I'm grasping at straws.

BooBoo is getting into all sorts of trouble at daycare for punching and spitting. I'm not trying to excuse the behavior by saying this, but the punching isn't really punching...but I get it, no punching at daycare. And the spitting, what is up with the spitting? He likes to spit, make bubbles with his spit and even make spit noises even without the presence of spit. Well again, daycare does not condone this behavior and I am afraid BooBoo is becoming "The Bad One" in the class. DUN DUN DUN!

Me, the mommy of the bad kid? That just simply cannot happen. Isn't the mommy of the bad kid really uninvolved and trashy? She pays no mind to bedtimes, inappropriate TV content or profanity. That is just not me at all.

So here I am, the clueless Mommy Friend with an adorably naughty "Bad Kid". For all that devilish naughtiness, there is an equal amount of angelic gentleness to him. He loves to cuddle, sing songs and gives the biggest kisses ever. Unfortunately, the devilish behavior is getting all the bad press these days and my Little BooBoo is in need of an image makeover. I'll admit it, I get a nervous everyday when I pick him up from preschool, awaiting the dreaded behavior report.

He is a wonderfully spirited and imaginative child who is the furthest from a bad kid. I will make it my life's crusade to spare him from this reputation if it is the last thing I do. He is capable of appropriate behavior and is learning how to work out the impulses in his 2 year old brain. So we remain patient and continue working with him. Hopefully soon we can move past this hurdle and on to the next, there's always a next.

Want more Mommyfriend *blush*, click here Gorgeous!