Anyone dealing alcohol affected children knows that they have good days and bad days. Lately it seems that Paul has been having nothing but bad days. Monday night he had a meltdown because it was time for his shower and he wanted to watch TV. I was giving the baby his bedtime bottle when it started. Before going in for the feeding I warned Paul that it was shower night and that he only had 10 minutes before shower time. From my seat in the baby’s room I heard Jen tell him that it was time to jump in the shower. He dusted off the old “I don’t have to, I had a shower yesterday”. Although Yesterday was actually shower night, he missed because we took the kids to see some fireworks. This was pointed out to him but he didn’t care. In the minute it took Jack to finish his bottle Paul went from talking back to Jen to being down right rude. After telling her that he didn’t care what she said he wasn’t going to have a shower, he yelled “I just want to watch TV!” as he went into his room and slammed the door. Done with the baby I when to his room, opened the door, and calmly told him that the way he was acting made me want to take TV away from him forever.

I’m not sure if it was what I said or how calm I was when I said it, but he stopped arguing and jumped in the shower. Unfortunately this didn’t really curb his attitude. Because of my shift work I haven’t been around much lately but I have been regaled with tales of the things that have been coming out of his mouth. The bad stretch has been so long that we can’t remember his last good day.

Maybe tomorrow…

~Living With Paul