I think Connie was on to something. Why didn’t you punish him for that. Kevin? He’s obviously horribly disobedient. You should have sent him to the basement without any dinn-…
Um, never mind.
Seriously though: Personally, I’m amazed by what I find funny or impressive these days. Writing on the bedroom wall? Well, heck, at least he spelled the words right! Way to go! And all the nails in the piece of purpleheart I was going to use? Well, heck if they aren’t very straight and orderly. He organizes well and never once hammered his own thumb. That’s worth something, isn’t it?
I’m discovering that good parenting often involves knowing what to put on high shelves.