Disciplining Steven

So, we really haven't had to do much in the way of disciplining Steven yet.  Usually we say no and then redirect him to something he can have or just let him have whatever it is for a few minutes since it was probably our fault for leaving it down in the first place.  A few months ago there was a sermon on parents not exacerbating your children and I've really been trying to determine in light of that sermon when it would be okay to discipline because it seems that he would be exacerbated more than any good at this point. Today however, I decided I was going to choose this battle and was going to make him obey.  He tries to eat dog food. I'm getting tired of having to run to the bowl and put it up or put the gate up and block the dogs out of that part of the house, etc.  We love our dogs; they are Steven's older brothers and have gotten slighted some in the past year, but are now allowed to have reign of the parts of the house they previously did even if it means Steven's toys have dog hair on them sometimes, eerr all the time. Well, Steven went for the dog food and I was trying to get work done so I said no, and he looked at me with a look like "I know you don't want me to do this but I'm going to anyways." Well, that's when I decided this was going to be his first lesson in obedience. I firmly said no again and he sort of gleamingly still went and put it in his mouth, which is really gross and he doesn't think it is.  I sat there looking at him for a second and said no again and gave him the raised eyebrows look for the first time. Oh, how that communicates I'm for real even when he's never seen it before.  He put his hand to his mouth and took the pieces of food out; at least it was dry dog food.  So, I guess that's a victory.  A little while later he went over to it again. I said no, he put it in his mouth and then I said no again and one by one he took the three pieces out; well, I thought there were three pieces and as he teetered away he took the fourth piece out of his mouth.  He didn't go back over to the food again, but I think it will only be a matter of time and the dog food war has begun! 

It is going to be a really hard thing to discipline Steven with that glorious grin.  He has started sayinng "see, See" and pointing to things that he sees whether it's in a book or an actual object.  I took a video of him teetering around quite well, but can't get it on the computer so I will take one with my other camera soon. He's such a precious joy even if I am going to have to discipline him. 

"Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it."