"Now What?"

My Mom and sister, Chrissie, watched the boys yesterday while I was at work. We all met for dinner at a small deli in St. Clair Shores called "Uncle Harry's".

The boys started out doing great at what they call Uncle "Cherries". After drawing, eating many snacks, and pounding a juciebox, Dominic was done. He has never acted up in a restaurant, but last night something got into him and he started shrieking and crying to leave. He then took his placemat and tossed it at my Mom. There are only about 10 tables in the whole resaturant and I swear everyone was looking to see how I would respond.

I am really lacking experience in disipline, so I am not always sure what to do. I thought, should I take him out or stay and try to make him behave?

I decided to take him out and give him a "time out" We headed to the minivan and I explained to him he cannot act like that and he was in a "time-out" I turned around and tried to ignore him for a few minutes. He played around in the van for a few minutes and must have gotten bored. He came over to the edge of the car and sat next to me and casually asked, "Now What?"

I almost feel over when he asked me this! Where did he learn this expression, and how did he know when it was appropriate to us it?

I was trying not to laugh and I said now we are going back into the restaurant to behave and eat our dinner. He said, "Okay".

I could not believe he was understanding and responding to this behavior modification method so well.

On the way back into the restaurant he stopped and looked at me and said, "Bad...Sorry". Sometimes I swear he thinks he is 20 years old and not 2 years old!

Although this moment was not one of Dominic's bests, it is a moment I like to savor. These moments are sarcred moments in parenting. Moments you wish time would stand still so you could always enjoy these silly 2 year old questions.