Disciplining My Boys

It occurred to me just the other day, that I have not two, but three boys to discipline!

We were trying to get Adik to take a shower and told him that Daddy will shower him in the downstairs bathroom. He was dilly-dallying and we were in a bit of a rush so we had to be a little bit firm.

"Quick Adik, we have to go already. Cepat mandi with Daddy downstairs."

"NOOooo...! Adik tak nak mandi!!!"

"No, you have to mandi, it's time to mandi then we're going out, remember?"

Daddy switched the hot water on downstairs and got his towel, all ready to give Adik a shower. "Come, Adik, let's mandi here," Daddy tries his luck.

"No. Adik want to mandi upstairs." I don't know WHERE this stubborn streak comes from.

"Alright, if you want to mandi upstairs then you mandi with Mummy," Daddy tries to be firm (read: TRIES).

Mummy jumps into the fray, "Ok, jom, mandi upstairs with Mummy."

Suddenly The Stubborn One shows up, "NOOO! Adik mandi upstairs WITH DADDY!" complete with a tinge of whining and the beginnings of a tantrum.

When he realised we were not going to give in, The Stubborn One transformed into Ole Big Eyes, giving Daddy those big eyes and soft voice, "Dadd-deeeee .... Adik want mandi with Dadd-deeee.... upstairs...."

Before I could even open my mouth, Daddy had scooped him up, cooing all over him soothing a non-existent tantrum all the way to the bathroom upstairs.

If I were a cartoon character, I would have had a completely red face coupled with smoke coming out of my ears.

5 minutes later I went upstairs and gave a very sheepish Daddy "the look". "Whaaat?" Daddy asked innocently.

"Hmmm. Looks like some good old fashioned disciplining is in order," I said.

"But look at those big eyes, dear ... how can you say no to those big eyes?" Daddy is sinking in that hole he dug himself.

"Not him, dear, YOU!"

Mutter mutter, grumble grumble.