A couple of days ago, Gus and I saw a news segment about childhood vaccinations. The little boy in the featured piece had big, red eyes and had obviously been crying his little eyes out after his shot.
That reminded me of one of my more “creative” parenting moments. Raising the boys by myself, well, I had to get a little more creative with my parenting style – besides, I prefer to come up with creative punishments that have a lasting/memorable impact.
When the boys were toddlers and would misbehave, I would tell them if they didn't behave, I was going to take them to the doctor and get them a shot of “Good Boy.” I explained to the boy that one shot of “Good Boy” would make them be good ALL. The. Time!
While visiting their pediatrician for a checkup, and while sitting in an examination room, there was a kid in the next room that started screaming bloody-murder. It sounded like he was being tortured. Trey and Coty stopped dead-in-their-tracks, their eyes got as big as saucers and poor little toothless Trey, with a mighty lisp asked “What was that?”
I listened carefully for a minute and said “Boy, that sure sounds a LOT like a shot of Good Boy to me!”
The threat of “Good Boy” worked for a good few years after that unforgettable visit to the doctor.
Some say I was terrible for scaring the boys like that, others find it humorous and have used the idea themselves. Personally, I have a hard time telling the story without tears running down my cheeks from laughing so hard.
If only every problem could be solved with the threat of “Good Boy.”
So what do you think? Good Mom? Bad Mom?
