Threshold of Tolerance

I understand that kids, like adults, often get heated and say things they don’t mean. I can sleep easy knowing that I am probably not the worst mom in the world. Many of the things my children have shouted my direction are not how they actually feel about me and I can keep it in its proper perspective. But…

Aren’t there some things that you just aren’t allowed to say to your mom?  Isn’t there just some times, despite that the incident got more heated than it probably should have, that some phrases are completely off limits?  And then what can be the proper punishment for saying something so awful that the severity of the circumstance is abundantly obvious?

I have actually hit Drew twice in his life. Gasp!!!  Once when he lift Gabby up by her neck when she was little. And once after I pulled the car over, asked him to repeat himself and he looked me square in the eye and said “I hate you.”  From my perspective, no need to call the authorities yet…

I’m starting to think I may need to include an occasional slap for times that get so nasty like the car scenario. It’s not because my feelings were hurt, which they were. Rather, Drew’s siblings idolize him and his spirit emulates through our house like wildfire. There are certain times that his level of aggression is so inappropriate that I struggle to find a suitable punishment that he understands the enormity of his words, and his siblings regard as serious business too. 

I’m not practicing my backhand in efforts to paddle him. I’m not sharpening Adam’s belt either.  I’m just entertaining the concept of giving him a hardy reminder of my threshold of tolerance. Fair?