With all three of them I remember thinking that they would never grow out of it, and they would certainly be the worst kids in their classes as they grew older.
However I quickly realized that when you are disciplining at home, they tend to be perfect angels when they are with someone else, even between the ages of two and four.
Along came Isaac. He certainly didn't abide by this rule (of being a little angel for other people). As a baby, he was the sweetest, smiliest, most laid back baby around and everybody loved him. By the time he was in the walkers nursery, he was often found hitting or pushing other kids. One time I peeked in only to find him holding another kid (who was six months younger than Isaac) in a headlock, and dragging him across the floor. I think Isaac was finally in a room where he was bigger than some of the kids so he took this opportunity to test his strength. He also is a very affectionate little boy and would often just want to hug or love on someone, but his "love" would involve tackling them and pulling them to the ground, which of course appeared more like "being mean" since most kids don't like to be pulled to the floor!
By the time Isaac was in the two year old Sunday school, he occasionally would hit someone, particularly if someone was mean to him, but the greater problem was that he couldn't sit still. He would be the kid that would get up during story time or would crawl under the table, etc.
When he was two, we attempted to move him into his brothers room at night so Miriam could sleep in the crib, but he was SOO loud at night. He would often lay in bed for an hour before falling asleep just talking and making sound effects or singing. It really didn't matter what time he would go to bed, he just needed some time to unwind once we put him to bed. I remember one night we got home at 11, and he literally talked in his bed for about 45 minutes! It was SOO awful with him in Luke and Andrew's room that we moved him back into his crib and Miriam to the basement in a pack and play! We had the monitor in our room for Miri, so it wasn't as bad as it sounds (although one night I accidentally didn't turn the monitor on, so Miriam "slept through the night" even though she usually woke up once at night at that point- yes I felt REALLY bad about that- not knowing if she woke up screaming, and for how long!!) We finally bit the bullet and put him back into the boys room when it started getting really cold in the basement around Christmas time. Often times we would just put him to bed after the boys were already asleep, but regardless of when we put him down, he ALWAYS would get out of bed and get spanked at LEAST 2 times, if not more! We just can't comprehend why he would do this time and time again knowing that he will get spanked!
Anyway, Isaac was always our kid who we was in his own little world having an imaginary battle, and who could rarely sit still. He also often seems a little lost in the sauce. Usually his answers are the stereotypical "God" or "Jesus", even if its a story that we've JUST read for the 4th time that week about a guy who gets swallowed by a whale, and I ask him what his name is. (Although after talking to others, I found that this isn't that abnormal for his age, but I had just grown accustomed to a couple of smarty pants older brothers).
This entire year at BSF, his teachers have graciously tried to share with me the problems they've had with him. He isn't terrible, but its just hard for him to sit still during quiet time, or walk in a straight line, holding onto the rope when they go outside (anytime I peeked in at him he would act as though he was getting squished off the rope, and would kind of touch it and then fall to the ground rather dramatically). Anyway, I've been certain that he was just gonna be my kid that would never be the best one in the class, which is fine, but it has been a little hard for me to deal with the possibility that he might just be one of the WORST in the class!
Anyway, about a month ago at BSF, his teachers told me that he had a great day.
The following week they said the same thing.
The third week she said it too, and I couldn't believe it because each week I kept thinking it was a fluke. (I have however noticed that he has been MUCH better at home too, especially at bedtime. He wasn't getting up every five minutes, and wasn't being so loud or moving around like a hyperactive kid, kicking his covers off and kicking his feet and arms in the air.) His teacher said something really sweet though last week. She said, "no, its not even that he's not bad anymore. . . he's like the best kid in the class. We love Isaac. He's so sweet." WOW!! I was so excited about this!!
Then today, the other teacher confirmed what the one teacher had said the previous week, but she actually added, "I was hoping you weren't giving him drugs or something" HAHA!!! She was totally serious too, adding that lots of parents are told to do that. I couldn't believe she said this! It was really that drastic of a change!!
God is SOO good, and has brought Isaac so far. I'm just so thankful that we have His word by which to live our lives and train our children. I really don't know what people do without it!
