Daddy Ruined My Day

For you parents out there have you ever had those heart breaking times when a child will say something like "Daddy ruined my day" .... "you don't listen to me" .... "you don't love me" or even the classic "I don't love you anymore"...

Well yesturday I had Patrick in tears around dinner time (having myself been out of the house for most of the afternooon) He was supposed to be folding the washing but taking all year to do it. Patrick had been grounded by his father for certain indiscretions unbecoming an 11 year old..... In short he had blown it.

I asked him what was wrong and he answered that Daddy had ruined his entire day because he had been unable to go out and play (a huge punishment when you have a campus of children your own age to play with) and that he had had to do all the 'jobs' (this meant tidy his room, take out the rubbish, fold the washing and no doubt knowing his father as I do the making of a cup of tea or two).

I spent the next 10 minutes talking to him about the rules of our house. It went kind of like this.
"Do you remember what you are supposed to do when you get home and we are somewhere else on campus?" a sullen reply "Yes" "Do you remember " another sullen "Yes". This went on for another 3 or 4 questions and then I explained to him that he was being punished for not doing what he knew was right......... Then I asked him "Who ruined your day?" a very long pause and then a very very sullen "I did" .

At this point while feeling very sorry for him on the inside I declared victory to myself and congratulated myself on a job well done..... Until about 1/2 an hour later when Patrick came to me and said "Mum how old were you when you left home?"

Now I wonder where this came from........ I am pleased to report that this was just an interest question rather than a response to Daddy ruining his day.