So yesterday Aidan was full on rude and I don’t think I was prepared for it, he is mischievous at most, maybe even a little naughty, but I’ve never been faced with the “blushing while being profusely sorry for my child’s behaviour” type naughty.

At most he is extremely busy and curious and stubborn but nothing really cringe worthy until yesterday!

A good friend came to visit and on arrival Aidan threw a spoon at her (I’m reminded of Austin Powers, “really who throws a shoe” but with a spoon) , a very weird reaction as he usually loves her (Maybe he was annoyed that she didn’t have her adorable blonde daughters with her)

First he was fine with me having a guest and there was nothing out of the ordinary, just the occasional “Mama Mama look at me” behaviour which is to be expected.

I clearly didn’t look at him enough because first he hurled his teddy off his bed then he decided to put his crayons in the nappy bin one at a time followed by wanting to flush his blocks down the toilet. Me stopping this resulted in him throwing himself down on the floor for a “dead man style, I will lay here till I get my way” tantrum. I ignored him and was met with this super fast reverse crawl that made me think of exorcist-creepy I tell you.

He then climbed onto my lap and proceeded to spit on the floor…YES! SPIT! he just lay across my legs filled his mouth with spit/drool and let it drip down…I was shocked and mortified.

I was even more mortified when my friend got up and he happily announced “Bye Bye”  then he kept interjecting our goodbyes by waving at her and saying “bye bye” and even pointing at the door and saying “go bye bye” SERIOUSLY!!!

I know that when it comes to things like this everyone has different tolerance levels, some people would think his behaviour was appalling and that he should learn manners and that he was clearly raised in a barn, others would be like, “arg that’s nothing my toddler just stole my car to buy a pack of cigarettes”… (I’m somewhere in the middle)

So what’s the point of my rant? well I realised later that he wasn’t feeling to well (blocked nose and slight fever) It also occurred to me that my friend arrived at what is usually “our time”.

He didn’t appreciate this. Clearly a creature of habit,  he is not used to me not being all his at that time of the day and didn’t know how to get my attention.

I guess it’s a lesson learnt…a reminder that he is a person in his own right with expectations and needs and not enough verbal prowess to express himself. Also he can be a naughty little bugger.

I must remind myself to try to make it clear to him that his feelings matter while making it clear that there is such a thing as “grown up time”.

Most of all I need him to know that I will always make time for him, even if it’s just a quick game of shadow puppets before bed or a phone call if I’m out of town. I need him to know that he is my first priority and that’s just the way it is, but at the same time he needs to know that this doesn’t mean there are no consequences for his actions or that I will condone rudeness or out right naughtiness….Quite a tough call.

Sheesh this parenting thing is hard…