"I'm not going if we're not shopping"...???...

(Not the actual photo from the convo but pretty much the saaaaame expression)

...this is what my son said when I told him I want to take him to the parade in the city for Thanksgiving. WHAT???? There are so many things wrong with this!

As his words reached my ears I felt my body go motionless, all but my head which spun around like I was the chic in the Exorcist! (not pictured here because I am terrified of horror movies)

Was I hearing correctly? WHAT?? Now please don't misunderstand, I am all for him having an opinion (which does not mean he gets his way but I do listen to what he has to say) and sometimes I let him decide if he wants to go certain places or not, but this was NOT one of those moments. So while I felt my head spinning on its axil, I had to remind myself to breathe, be calm but clear. We have never gone to the parade and I think it's something we should experience. Like I said to him, if he never wants to go back he doesn't have to, but at least he experienced it. (Mind you, he NEVER wants to go ANYWHERE and when he gets there this is the kid who doesn't want to leave!)

But what stood out to me more than his protest, was his snooty way of telling me that he was not going unless we were going shopping....excuuuuuuuuuuse me?????????? I wondered, "who's da brat and who would it hurt more if I knocked him into 2010?"

Now I confess, in my quest to ensure he enjoys all that life has to offer, I expose him to a variety of things...when we take vacations, we VACATION...we enjoy fine dining, we've been to plays, we go shopping, all that good stuff but the LAST thing I want to do is raise a brat!?! Firstly, like I always tell him, I ain't married to Diddy! I work my butt off in order for us to enjoy these things (uhh okay so if you've actually seen my butt, you'd beg to differ but I digress...)

I want him to travel and experience different cultures, I encourage him to try different foods, and I take him any and everywhere that I could afford to...but this response is totally unacceptable. This was when I pulled out the scroll with the long boring "that is not what life's about" blahblahblah parent speech. I'm sure he only heard "you're going!" (blanked out when I said we'll be visiting family and the rest of my monologue) and tuned back in when I said "and THEN we're coming home"...HOWEVER he will realize just how serious I am when he is in zero degree weather trooping with thousands others looking at stupid ass Dora and Spongebob balloons overhead! (honestly I hope the weather is nice that day)

Granted this is also a child who has to do well in school academically, be well-behaved and doesn't get what he wants JUST because he asks for it, or when he wants it because sometimes he doesn't.

What's even more stunning is that I go to great lengths to show him the flip side of the coin and to help others in need etc...where does this sense of entitlement come from? Well little does HE know that there will be more to it this Thanksgiving and Christmas. I am on a mission...and I will keep you posted on that!

Disclaimers: (1) No kids were hurt before or during the typing of this blog.
                   (2) Dora and the beloved Spongebob are in no real danger.