Tantrum Tuesdays (on a Thursday)

Hey Michelle, this one is for you!

So Michelle and I tossed around the idea that we should have a summer-long blog carnival called "Tantrum Tuesdays" in which we document and highlight the biggest tantrum of the week (even if it happens to be our own.) Well, as luck would have it, I actually caught a major tantrum on camera this week... and it was actually happening on a Tuesday, lo and behold.

Also, I want to just take a moment to thank all of you who might have been concerned that I was grossly misinformed about the name of "duct" tape. I realize that the tape is intended for duct work, but I think the name "duck" is so ingrained in my head that I typed it subconciously, but I really and truly appreciate you not wanting me to continue on in my ignorance, because when it comes to me, one never knows if I might be actually dwelling in the dark... hahaha... now that we have that straight, we can take a look at this collosal tantrum, as only Connor can throw them. And what better (more embarrassing) place to exhibit his self-assertion than a swim meet, in front of not only OUR entire neighborhood, but the entire neighborhood we were swimming against as well. These images are straight out of my camera, I have not even bothered to edit them yet, such was my excitement to share them with all of you so that you could develop a deeper and more meaningful appreciation of my parenting prowess!

Waiting for his turn to swim...

Being PULLED into the water by his coach....

Being pulled through the entire lap of the relay by his coach...

Immediately after the race, with his crush cup.... totally fine!

Now before you feel sorry for the little fellow in the photos above, keep in mind that a) he had already swam one race, his hardest, the backstroke, and did not complain one bit, b) his main complaint about not wanting to race was that the water was cold, but not ten minutes after his heat he was asking if he could get back in (to which I promptly replied NEVER because you might get too cold!), c) this was a relay and if I had allowed him to pansy out of it there would have been three other kids getting the shaft because of his stubbornness, d) he does stuff like this all the time and it's more about control than it is about fear or him not wanting to do it, he just has to have everything on his own terms and e) "We're not quittters!" Which is what I tell ALL four of my kids all the time, Harrisons don't quit things, we finish what we started and we'll reevaluate next summer if you don't want to do it. (Though in truth, he's probably doomed to have to do it because the other two are doing it and I want him to be busy like them. Plus I believe it's good for him.)

So....