Menacing Merritts

I'm sure you all can recall a family that was TROUBLE during church. You know, the ones with LOUD, DISRESPECTFUL, UNRULY children. I felt that was my family today.

In sacrament meeting Becca was so loud. She started 5 minutes before church did. We have the same rule every week. They can pull out coloring books and activities, but only after the deacons have been excused to sit with their families. She decided she couldn't wait that long. She got the books anyway. She found the crayons and started coloring. I tried reasoning with her, but she won. She kept coloring and singing. Not to mention the chomping fest her and Kate were having with the gum in their mouths.

Dustin and I were sitting in Gospel Doctrine when the door opened. It was Kate and her primary teacher. She was holding Kate and her shoes. She looked like I do sometimes. Her face was saying, "Help me!" Apparently Kate thought the floor was more inviting than the chairs today. She was doing somersaults across the floor and wouldn't listen when told to get back in her chair. I guess the teacher picked her up and Kate didn't like it, so she hit her!

As I was looking for Dustin between Priesthood and Relief Society, I happened upon Ryan's class. The door was opened and I peeked in. I found that he was being a little trouble maker. He had kicked another kid (the other kid kicked first, I guess)and had talked during the teacher's whole lesson. I was mortified! He knows better.

I walked back to the RS room and couldn't believe the day I was having. My kids were being so bad! I wanted to crawl in a hole and not come out.

When we got home, Kate went to her bed immediately and we had a talk with Ryan. His punishment was to spend 1 hour in his room preparing a lesson. After he was done, he was to come upstairs and give US the lesson. We talked all the way through it. He gave us our assignments and all of us looked at him and said, "Huh? I wasn't listening. What am I supposed to do? Read it again." This frustrated him even more and he started crying. We think he got our point of how disrespectful it is to talk during a lesson and be a distraction. Teachers work hard to prepare and we should listen. Later after dinner, he gave it again and we listen and participated this time. (Is it cheating to count this as FHE? Well, I am)

I was feeling really frustrated with my kids today. I know I have good kids, but why do they choose to be disrespectful at times? I have taught them different. Sometimes their little personalities are way too strong for my liking.