This too shall pass...

Honestly I don't know what it is.  I don't know if it's the holiday rush, the excitement of the holiday season, sensory overload or what, but 'Milo has not been a very good listener at all.  Last Monday he started being distracting at school again and was on and off all week, but on Friday he called a boy in his class a loser...not once, but TWICE!  Even after being talked to about it the first time.  Over the weekend we had planned to go see the Dino movie on Sunday.  Just me and him since little bro has no interest in the movie.  But with that going on at school on Friday I told him if he kept acting up we wouldn't go to the movies. Saturday he was OK; still being loud and very silly.  Don't get me wrong, I'm all for being silly, but when it gets to the point of not listening and calling everyone names (me included), it's not OK.  And I'm no push over when it come to this stuff.  I love my kids, we have fun, I'm very affectionate with both of them, but I am stern when it comes to this behavior.  If I say I'm going to take away games or toys because of behavior, I stick to it.  If it's time out, then time out it is.  I'm rarely lenient with this stuff.  Saturday night I reminded him again and by Sunday morning I came to the conclusion we would not be going to the show.   I was still going to take the little to grandma's for his lunch date with her, but me and 'Milo came back to the house and did chores.  I felt horrible, but I stuck to my guns.  He knew I was upset.  I didn't say much to him, told him to make his bed and left his room.  Sometimes silence is louder than words and more effective than a heavy hand.  I limited my interaction to just answering his questions with short answers.  He was settling down and apologized for behaving badly.  By the evening he was getting noisy and acting up again.  I had to remind him again and ended up taking away Legos.  He seems a little settled again today so hopefully after this holiday bustle he stop bouncing off the walls!