The Great Escape

Now that Super is approaching the 2 year mark, his personality is showing more and more everyday. A few things I've identified is that he's a "bolter" and a "climber" and I put these in parenthesis because there are certain defining characteristics that make these a special circumstance. All kids run away and all kids scare their parents on a regular basis but, a bolter is one of those kids that doesn't care what you say or do, they are going to take off in whatever direction they can go at any given time and they won't look back.


Here is my recent example. Aside from the fact that he is constantly running away, he doesn't think that his actions have consequences and that is very hard for me knowing that one of those consequences could be death. One of my clients stopped by my house to drop off some paperwork and a check for me to give to another broker. I met him at the door, took the papers, turned around to grab my purse and cell phone and I walked out the door. I didn't see Super so I didn't even lock the door and I went after him because I felt something was wrong. I leaped over the gate and started running, calling his name. As I'm trotting towards our parking lot, I saw a little blond head bobbing up and down, chasing after my client/friend's car and heading right for the street. Then came the adrenaline rush as I saw another car turning the corner and heading in our direction as he charged into the middle of the street. I'm screaming his name and trying to wave down the driver so they'll stop and running as fast as I could while dropping everything in my arms to get to my baby. Thankfully, I got their attention and they missed Super by 2-3 feet and I was able to get him.



That was the end of "Nice Mommy" and now he'll know my wrath when he thinks he can venture into the streets. I hate spanking him and I don't know if it works but I need him to be afraid of roads and streets so I'm resorting to making him fear me if he won't fear a car that could squish him. I'd rather him hate my guts than be dead.



Ok, that was the extreme example but me and MIL Sue took him shopping yesterday and he just ran around the store like it was his job. Ducking in and out of clothes, laughing and having a good time but making it very difficult to keep an eye on him. At one point, he almost ran out of the store but I was able to grab his arm as he was leaving through one of the doors. I'm afraid that someone is going to pick him up and leave with him. It can happen in a blink of an eye and I'm terrified. For the first time in my career as a parent, I'm actually considering getting one of those baby leashes. I think they're humiliating but I'd rather him be embarrassed than tortured by some stranger. I have a feeling I need to take him seriously when he's 7 and wants to run away because he doesn't get what he wants. That won't change my mind about whatever he's mad about but I'll install a Low Jack on my kid if it means I can find him.

Next, he is a "climber". Lifting himself onto tables and chairs isn't enough for a child like him. There must be challenge and a pay off... like climbing our shelves like it's a ladder so he can pull down my antique cat statues given to me after my Grandma passed, or standing on the arm of a wobbly swivel chair so he can turn the kitchen light on and off while I'm cooking, or getting on top of my car and jumping on it like a trampoline (I now know not to park near the curb, thank goodness no dents). Our latest adventure happened yesterday and now I'm not only worried about my furniture, I'm going to worry where he is.

MIL Sue and I came home after our outing with the boy and it was nap time. I put him down in his Pack N Play and we went out so she could have a smoke. A few minutes later I went to go check on him because sleeping babies are heavenly and low and behold, he ran out of the room as soon as I opened the door. Oh crap. I gathered him up again and put him down, read a short book and left the room. Something about our home, we live in a 1 bedroom apartment with a den (which we use as Supers bedroom) and the den doors don't close like regular doors, they just pull together, so we tie a piece of ribbon to close off the doors and he can't get out. Back he went into the PNP and I tied the door closed and went back to hang out on our deck with Sue. A few more minutes went by and I decided to check on him again. Given the recent events, I didn't expect him to be in the middle of the living room but there he was.... totally naked. I'm guessing this is what happened. He climbed out of the PNP, managed to pull open the doors and came out, turned the TV on, took off his semi-wet diaper, threw it in the trash can and proceeded to pee on our kitchen floor.

We laughed so hard. He was so obviously proud of himself and so happy to be naked. How do you punish or even discipline that? Well, you don't. You laugh until you cry and give up. The kid doesn't want to nap and now that he knows how to get out of the PNP, he isn't going to stay there.