This will go down in history as one of the most unexpected and humbling experiences we've had with Liam to date.
One of his little 'traits' at the moment is that he lets out these short loud screams (sometimes several at a time) when he doesn't get his way. They are more or less a vocal temper tantrum. I have tried for the last few weeks to just ignore them but it had made no difference - if anything, he's getting worse. So tonight when he let out this angry little scream I immediately smacked the back of his legs. It would have hurt a little as it was on his skin and he had no pants on (but he did have a nappy on).
Well there was a reaction all right. He started howling for a couple of minutes, and then walked up to me, looked me in the eyes and started muttering away, still crying a little. I could almost make out him saying "why did you do that to me", about 6 times, so I sat there and listened to him, unsure quite how to react to this little kid being so bold as to ask me. He calmly said the same thing over and over, as if he wanted an answer. Then he held his hand out indignantly as if to say "come on why did you use your hand?". Then muttered a couple more times and I reached out and gave him a hug, and had to admit that I was sorry I had hurt him and that although Daddy still loves him, he must not scream like that again.
It was very humbling. He was crying a bit but was remarkably calm. If he keeps up that calmness as he gets older he will have mastered a skill that many adults find hard - maintaining sanity in ugly situations. I suspect that that head of his is far far more developed than we really think it is.
If he ever wanted to make Daddy feel guilty he did a damn good job of it tonight.
But the screaming still has to stop!
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