Random RADness

You have heard the phrase "He will cut off his nose to spite his face". I never really understood that until I began parenting RAD kiddos.

Middle loves to be outside. Even in the sub-tropical wet heat of Alabama he will be outside in long pants and a black shirt and not seem to notice. He will be outside for hours. He will play with others or alone.

So it is a common tool for us to use the privilege of going outside to teach cause & effect (you do this you get that).

Middle began asking to go outside right after breakfast. He was reminded that we must do school and chores first and then we can play. He did his chores and returned...

"Can I go out now?"

"Did you do your reading and journalling?"

"NO!, do I have to do that today, I didn't think we had to do reading today"

"Yes, you do, we work then play"

He grumbles and whines but returns to his room and proceeds to read.

A few minutes later he returns and plops his journal and book down next to me and leaves. I look at his two sentence long journal entry and call him back.

"Tell me about the chapter you read"

He proceeds to try to convince me that he actually read it all but he obviously didn't so I send him back with book and journal... more whining and wailing and gnashing of teeth.

He returns... too quickly (No wonder I never get anything done during the day LOL).

We discuss the chapter and his *copied* journal entry again. I send him back... same ole, same ole.

He returns AGAIN... this time he discussed the entire chapter so I call it done.

"Can I go outside now?"

"Did you read your other book?"
(the first one is non-fiction, second one is fiction)

More whining........

He returns again, with book in hand.

"ok, mommy...NOW can I go outside?"
(at this point I and the other boys are so ready for him to go outside just so he isn't interrupting every 5-10 minutes)

Tell me about the chapter you read.
He tells me enough, so I say...

"Ok, you can get ready and go outside"

He pokes around his room and walks back and forth through the dining room where I am trying to work with Bright-Eyes. He ends up behind us watching Bright-Eyes do a lesson on the computer, I ask...

"Are you going outside?"

In his whiniest voice Middle pleads...
"Do I HAVE to go outside, can't I stay in?"