This Will Hurt Me More Than it Hurts You

I thought that random acts of violence were on the way out here in the Farklepants household. Fighting amongst siblings still takes place but actual physical combat hasn't been a problem since the summertime cabin fever episode. I attributed the newfound lack of fisticuffs to my oldest son becoming a bit more mature and the younger starting to develop similar interests. I hate punishing my kids. I always feel like a giant cup of crap soup immediately after. Sure I feel justified at the moment punishment is called for, but when I see tears well up in their eyes or I know that their current grounding will keep them from doing something they've really had their heart set on...I dunno. It's one of those situations that makes it to the "hard part about being a parent" side of the pro/con list. But, punishment is necessary sometimes; like, oh, say when the oldest son kicks the youngest son in the stomach. And that's not a "what if" scenario. That just happened. Twenty minutes ago. And that kind of thing demands appropriate sentencing. And, less importantly, what a lame ass thing to do with Christmas less than a month away.

Even though I know that Boy-Child#1 is more upset because he's been punished rather than remorseful for the kung-fu move he dealt Boy-Child#2; I still wanna hug him when all is said and done. And I have to apply stealth-like ninja moves on myself to keep from doing so.

**this entry was written last evening and posted this morning. This did not happen before breakfast today. Boy-Child#1 isn't that awful to kick his younger brother's ass before younger brother has had his Fruit Loops**