Punishment Accomplished

Yesterday while driving the kids home from school ,Tommy was in one of his bad moods and was snapping at everything anyone else in the van said or did.  A block away from home I couldn’t take anymore of his attitude and pulled the van over and told him to get out and walk the rest of the way . While getting out he said, “ good! I want to walk home- that’s what I want anyway.” He then stomped off  without looking back and headed towards home.  I sat for a minute watching him walk in such a furry, and wondered if I should follow him just to make sure he gets home ok. Yeah, that’s what I should do. The poor kid obviously had a bad day at school and I should be nice. He doesn’t need to feel like no one cares. This will show I still care, even though he is being punished for his behavior… So, I drive slowly and gradually approach where he is at. He glances over his shoulder and sees that I am following him and then turns and gives me the biggest stink face ever! At that moment I said to myself, “FINE!” And then I laid on the horn. HONNNNNNK! Tommy jumped a foot off the ground and turned towards me and shook his fist at me. I then waved at him and drove on by.  I turned the corner and was almost to our house when the thought came to me. “do it again.” OK! So I  went around the block again, and came up behind him again. This time he saw me and he stopped walking  and stood on the curb, waiting for me to pull right up beside him. I pulled up beside him and stopped.  Oh you could feel his anger for me. He was shooting daggers out his eyes at me. He stared at me. I stared at him. It was a showdown. (western music plays in my mind) Who would be the first to “draw”?  My hand is hovering over the horn on my steering wheel. His foot is inching it’s way off the curb about to step onto the road…… HHOOOOOOOONKKK!!! I win.  And I drive off again. I get to our house and the thought comes once more, “do it again!” OK! So I drive around the block again… He is about 10 houses away from being home. I creep up behind him in the van. This time he knows I’m there but refuses to look, and while ignoring me as best he can starts to strut down the center of the road, blocking me from being able to go past him. I give a little HONK with the horn. He is able to ignore it. I’m coasting right behind him now as he is king of the road and stomping towards home. I give a little BEEP with the horn this time.  He takes a few more steps. BEEP.  Two more steps. Beep. Keeps on walking. Beep!…takes two steps ….Beep!…few more steps ..Beep!……Beep!……Beep! .....He now bursts into a  sprint and runs full speed the rest of the way to the house. I stay back a good distance just in case he trips and falls –it wouldn’t be funny anymore if I ran my kid over----  By the time I pull up into the driveway he is already inside the house.

I get out of the van, check the mailbox, and eventually go inside. Tommy is in his room with the door closed. I knock. Silence. I  attempt to open his door but he has pushed his dresser in front of it and I cannot get it open.  I turn and walk away, and though there is a part of me for feels bad for being so immature, I can’t help but smirk and think, “I win!” Punishment accomplished.

ps. part of what makes this story so funny is the fact that my husband, Ben ,does not think it is funny AT ALL!