Sorry doesn't cut it!

Oh, my little Porter is one entertaining little boy! He said to me one morning: "Mommy, my knee hurts and it makes me drive crazy!". He'd kneeled on something and wanted me to know it was driving him crazy...

Several weeks ago, Porter was having a hard time listening. It was a Saturday afternoon and he'd already gotten talked to several times and grounded from all sorts of things. We always have a power struggle, that boy knows what he wants and when he wants it, but this day was worse than usual.

He wanted to play with something he'd been grounded from. Probably a video game, but I don't remember for sure. I reminded him he was grounded and he said he was SO sorry. Not five minutes later he started talking back, AGAIN!!

The problem was two-fold: Mommy was running out of patience and tired of repeating herself; and Porter was under the impression that saying "sorry" enough times will erase his grounding. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad Porter says he's sorry. It's good manners and means he did listen to me at some point?? Unfortunately, he doesn't seem to know yet, what it's supposed to mean (that he actually has remorse and won't repeat the same offense). Oh, poor little head-strong Pooh...growing pains?

This was the point where I did the unthinkable!! I turned into my Dad!? Dun-dun-dunnn (scary music).

"But I'm sorry" Porter says.

"SORRY DOESN'T CUT IT!"

Those words actually came out of my mouth. Immediately, I looked across the table at Gary and said: "I can NOT believe I just said that - my dad used to always saiy that to us and we HATED it! It's happened, I've turned into my parents!"

Truth be told, my parents were and are great parents. It wouldn't be a bad thing at all to be like them. It's just crossing that threshold - from kid to parent. Kids NEVER want to be like their parents. Parents are the responsible, strict, OLD, adults... Mama, I guess your baby has finally grown up? I'm officially a PARENT??!!

Last week, Porter got a naughty note from daycare. He gets grounded from video games if he gets a naughty note. It wasn't a very good night for that, Dan bought Guitar Hero On Tour and brought it over. Everyone knows what a rock star Porter is...

Needless to say, Porter wanted to play the new game - hello, DRUMS?? I reminded him of his punishment for being naughty at daycare. As usual, he goes into his "sorry" routine.

"But, Mommy, I'm Sorry..."
"I'm Sorry for being naughty."
"I'm SOOOOO Sorry!"

My reply was: "I'm glad that you are sorry, but it doesn't get you out of your grounding."

"But, Mama...sorry cuts!!" he states while making scissors with his fingers.

Oh my gosh! Not only was I astounded that he would remember that from the ONE time I said it a month ago, but it was HALARIOUS!

I guess "sorry" scissors cuth through groundings...