The day started out normally enough. We traipsed into daycare, babbling and giving kisses to every provider we passed, just like every other morning. He smiled and clapped as I put away his bottles and diapers for the day, waggled his eyebrows when someone mentioned how cute he looked, and generally acted like the angel baby I always thought he was.
Then I put him on the floor, belly-down in front of a few unattended toys, so he could practice his scooting as I left.
And that's when I saw it.
The daycare providers told me that this is actually something he did on the regular, but I didn't want to believe them. I was entirely convinced that my boy, the giggly, smiley, squealy baby I knew and loved, was as generous with the other kids as he was sharing his boogies with me.
But how wrong I was.
I watched as my son, with a look of devilish delight in his eyes, homed in on a toy that another baby was playing with. There was no interest in the toys directly in front of him; all he cared about was that baby and that toy he was holding.
And I stood, horrified, as he snatched it right out of that baby's hand.
 |
| We've got your dickery on camera, kid. |
My heart broke a little as that baby started to cry, but I had some reprieve as he noticed another toy behind Tycho and crawled to go get it. Satisfied, he started playing with this new toy, smiling as he forgot about the toy Tycho had just stolen from him.
But that wasn't enough for my son, no way! Despite getting the toy that he apparently so desperately wanted, now that toy was forgotten in favor of the new one in that baby's hand! And I watched him sneak up behind this kid and, again, grab it as if it were his and his alone.
Cue more crying from that baby, more horror from me, and echoes of "No, Tycho, that's not nice!" from no fewer than three adults.
My son? My precious son? He didn't give a damn. For all he cared about, anything that was that baby's was instantly his.
In an effort to distract him, one of the daycare providers scooped Tycho up and plunked him in front of the toy box. He gleefully peered into the box to see what all he could play with, then turned to me and gave me such a huge shit-eatin' grin that I couldn't help but mutter as I left the room...
"Tycho, don't be an asshole."
He knows what he's doing, too. See this look? Pure devil. He's already figured out how to open the safety locks at daycare.
We're so screwed.
Three words: magnetic cabinet locks
ReplyDeleteSomeone else pointed me to those and their magic recently, and it was definitely a huge "EUREKA!" moment for me. Between those and the cheapie push-down locks I had when I was a kid, we should be set. ;)
DeleteI watched Tristan take toys from a little girl like it was his job. It horrified me. But apparently its normal.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if it should be normal! Its good to be aware of that stuff and work on getting it to stop before the kid gets the idea it is normal and becomes a bully. Sounds like you are on the right track since you don't personally write off his behavior :)
DeleteI've heard it's normal, too, but that doesn't mean I'm going to let him get away with it. LOL
DeleteLove it! It's always such a shock (not to mention a blow to the ego) when they decide to show their "other side."
ReplyDeleteDude, isn't it ever! I was like, "I SWEAR I don't parent in a way that makes him think that's okay." What a cheeky devil.
DeleteThis was such an honest post! It's the worst when they start to get violent too, but you can't really do much. Aside from prepare yourself for the harsh judgements of others!
ReplyDeleteAngie from
reasons to dress take a glimpse into my euro mommy life
Oh god, when the hitting/scratching/biting starts? It's over. He does some of those accidentally (... "accidentally"?) already, and I'm trying to get him to stop ("We don't hit/scratch/bite! Gentle touches!"), but so far, it's not sinking in. Little stinker.
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