We put our foot down!

Today was the day we have had just about enough of Mr. Matthew Greedy-Pants. This has been building up for awhile. A couple weeks ago we went to the store and prior to going in I told Matthew in no way shape or form would I be buying him a toy. So DON'T ask. But he wanted to look in the toy section. Okay no harm in that since he had already been forwarned. Well he then proceeds to "plead his case". "Mommy I'll play with it everyday. I promise!" "Mommy, I really, really want it!" and so on and so forth. As we are leaving the store sans toy he proceeds to get all pouty and lippy with me. I TOLD YOU BEFORE WE WENT IN, NO TOYS TODAY!!!! GRRRRRRRRRR! So yeah, I'm pretty ticked.

Then he goes away with Todd to a re-enactment. Matthew loves dressing up as a British soldier in the War of 1812. I really like that he shares Todd's interest in it. While they were there Matthew spies a set of toy soldier figures that cost $30 and asks Todd to get it for him. Of course Todd said no and I would have to had I been there. Well Matthew gets all mad and says he wishes I was there(thinking I would have bought it for him - NOT!) Oh and the best part is when he went around asking for money from people!!! My son was freakin' PANHANDLING! I was so mad when Todd told me that! Thankfully no one gave him money.

Last week we were at Grandma and Grandpa's and again he wouldn't stop asking them for this and asking them for that! This is really starting to aggaravate me. I told him in no uncertain terms to cut it out already!!

But today, today was the last straw! He was invited to a friend's birthday party so last night we went to Walmart and picked out a Star Wars Lego set that Matthew liked and a lightsaber. Already Matthew was talking about which lego guy he wanted to play with and I was quick to point out and maybe Mark's mom won't let him open it until after the party so nothing gets lost. I go to pick him up after the party and the first thing I'm greeted with is a SHRIEKING Matthew saying he didn't want to go home! I was truly taken aback! After having entertaining a bunch of 6 yos for 3 hours it was clear Mark's mom was ready for everyone to go so I told Matthew we have to go. He's still crying and upset about one thing or another but the bottom line was he didn't want to leave. I get him out to the van and he's still mouthing off. He saying he wishes he was an orphan(????) and then he tells me he doesn't like me. Well I have had enough of this behaviour. I was embarrassed that others had to witness him acting like a 2 yo and I was upset he was saying such rude things to me. I told him to shut his mouth and to not talk at all anymore. I had to cut him off a few times because he likes to keep talking.

We get home and I send him to his room and proceed to talk to Todd. We both agree he is way out of control with his greedy, selfish behaviour. Something has got to be done because he is spiraling out of control.

After things had calmed down a bit and he did apologize I ask about the party. He tells me Mark got mad at him because they both wanted to play with the same guy from the lego set Matthew had got him for his birthday. Mark's mom had to take it away.

"It was Mark's toy!! You got it for him!" I said.

"But I wanted to play with the red guy"

"Matthew, you gave him that toy. It's not yours so Mark should have first choice."

"But I really wanted the red guy!"

D'oh! Sometimes it's like talking to a brick wall but he did finally concede that he would have been upset had the shoe been on the other foot and Mark had come to our house and been so demanding, Matthew obviously would have been just as upset too.

So after supper Todd and I sat Matthew done and had a long talk with him. We basically told him we are not putting up with this greedy selfish behaviour anymore and to drive the point home we told him we will not be buying anymore toys at all so he was not even to ask as Todd and I are both in agreement on this. The next time he will be getting anything will be Christmas and Santa will be the one deciding if his behaviour is good enough to get anything. He seemed to accept what we said and I even asked him questions to make sure he was understanding what we were telling him. Granted, he often has short term memory issues so he may turn around tomorrow and ask me in the middle of a store to buy him a toy. But I won't. I really want to stick to this. It's very important to me that he grows up with good values.