Adult Abuse

So my son punched me in the face today. In public and on purpose.

Which really makes me feel like such a fantastic parent that I have trained him SO well in his time on earth that he would think it was actually ok to punch me in the face.

We were on our way back from hockey and needed to stop at Home Depot. E has always resisted on-the-way-home stops; he hates the thought of appearing in public in his uniform. Remember this is the kid who won't participate in Crazy Hair Day in case others "think he's stupid". So this was the first time we made him get out.

Mike and Jack went inside so that I, the voice of reason, could talk Ethan out of the car and into the store calmly. He refused. I reasoned and rationalized. He still refused. I started to need to go to the bathroom badly. All of a sudden, we HAD to get in that store for my sake. Ethan didn't quite see it that way. I told him that he had a choice - he could walk in normally and be unobtrusive, or I could carry him in.

He chose the "Struggle and Carry" method.

He's not light, and he was wearing all his hockey gear (minus skates thank GOD or I would be posting from the hospital recovering from major lacerations) and he was kicking and screaming. Think 70 lbs in my arms. So the kid who doesn't want to be embarassed with others looking at him was making SUCH a scene in the Home Depot parking lot that people stopped their cars to look at him. And me.

At one point he unbalanced me and we both fell to the ground (and in a puddle, of course). I grimly picked him up again and continued on. When we got in the door, I asked the closest orange apron where were the bathrooms? as Ethan cocked his fist back and belted me in the jaw. My head snapped to the side and my jaw dropped open. So did the HD employee's jaw.

I have never been so embarrassed in my life. We made it to the bathroom. Ethan started walking on his own about halfway there, and by the time we got to the bathroom he was calm enough for me to share a few choice words with him.

After the bathroom we found Mike and Jack, and Ethan sat nicely in the driver's seat of the cart. We did what we needed to do and then went home.

Needless to say, Ethan has lost a LOT of privileges this week. We have talked seriously at regular intervals throughout the day. What else do I do? I am shocked and horrified, and honestly - I'm hurt. Physically, yes it hurt (and it's still tender), but I'm also heart-hurt. He HIT me. My boy who loves me as much as I love him and he HIT me.

I carefully explained to him that if he was a grown-up and he had hit me, he would be in jail right now. I don't think he'll hit again. But what if he does?