Tuff Love

I have to admit, I am probably the WORST at enforcing strict punishments with the kids. I always think the “threat” will scare them off but of course it never does…they know me too well by now. However, Blake changed all of that last night...it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done :(.

Blake just has this thing with Nicholas…the movie the Good Son comes to mind. Although it breaks my heart, I find myself wondering often if he really just doesn’t like his brother. He is so cruel to him and it LITERALLY breaks my heart. Don’t get me wrong, Nicholas HAS his moments, but overall he is a genuinely sweet little boy. Blake has his sweet moments too, just NOT with his brother. People ask me all the time if it is a competitive thing…it’s not. I wish it were, I could at least understand and chalk it up as being everyday sibling rivlery. Nicholas is the least competitive boy I know.

So back to what this entry is really about. Blake really crossed the line last night. He does this thing where he uses Jasmine’s claws as HIS weapon. Marc and I have asked him to stop and warned him several times NOT to do that. Well last night he literally used the cat’s claws to tear Nicholas’s face apart. There were scratches all over his face and way too close to his eye (right across the lid) for comfort. One might think that Nicholas must have done something really mean to deserve such a punishment, but Blake does this shit to him over the smallest things, like accidentally changing the channel on the TV or something…the boy is nuts.

There is one exception to Blake’s attitude towards his brother. The boys still share a queen size bed and it is at night that Blake does a 180. He wants to be as close as possible to Nicholas (which Nicholas HATES…he’s just NOT the snuggling type). Besides, Blake only does it for selfish reasons…he’s scared to death of the dark. But being the sweetheart that he is, Nicholas allows Blake to nuzzle up and feel protected ;).

Well last night I was NOT going to allow Nicholas to be Blake’s knight and shining armor. Blake was sent up to bed right after it happened (around 7) and informed that he would be sleeping upstairs alone. I hated seeing Blake scared to death and begging not to sleep alone, but it was a punishment that I felt I had to stand by. It was the only thing that I felt would ensure that he NEVER used the claws again. I wanted him to think of being in that bed all alone EVERYTIME he even thought of picking Jazz up and using her to hurt Nicholas. Thankfully, Marc was there to help me stand my ground…I so badly wanted to give in. Even Nicholas said that it was okay, he’d go to bed upstairs with Blake. NO!!!...Why does he have to be so easy :(.

Blake eventually passed out. I had warned him that if he came down in the middle of the night he would be up there for two more nights by himself. I guess he took me seriously this time because he stayed up their all night. I have to admit that I am VERY anxious to go wake him up this morning. I can’t wait to wake him up and tell him I LOVE him and give him a BIG hug. I NEVER want my kids to think that I don’t love them OR that I love one of them more than the other. Although it hurt like hell, I KNOW I did the right thing.