Crime and Punishment

The Boy got in trouble tonight. He got in trouble for a couple reasons. First, he took too many tomatoes on his taco. While this seems like a silly thing to get in trouble for (it is), this is the umpteenth time he's taken so many tomatoes the other four people in the family did not have enough.

Then, after getting a talking to (I did not raise my voice), it was time to say our prayers. He slouched down in his chair threw his legs over his arms, and started mumbling. When we reminded him that he was talking to the Lord, and not his parents, he got even more upset, turned around in his chair and refused to move. This got him sent to his room. I would hesitate quite a while before using the adjective "sanctimonious" to describe us, but we have our habits.

Fast forward about 15 minutes, and The Boy comes downstairs and sits in his chair. He pretends nothing has happened, and starts asking for condiments for his dinner. We then spoke for a couple minutes regarding how he had been sent to bed without dinner, and apparently, he presumed he'd been there long enough, as his demeanor suggested he was entitled to dinner by right (not that I blame him, past behavior on our part has suggested this, despite the "this is the last time" he got last time). This of course got him another talking to, which ultimately resulted in his being sent to his room without dinner (again).

I feel bad. I also think that had he not acted so entitled on his return to the dinner table, perhaps he would have ended up eating, so maybe it was for the best. I don't like punishing - it's not as much fun for me as it was for my parents, who I think danced with glee when they got to punish me. Maybe I'm just doing it wrong...