The Cold, Hard Truth

Tonight, Elijah and I had a battle about what he was going to wear to church. It was warm in our house this afternoon (we actually turned on the AC), so I put him in shorts. But when we went out to the car, I realized it was much cooler than I had expected (about 60). I told him I wanted to put pants on him, so he wouldn't be cold. He instantly threw a mini-fit. "No! I don't want to wear pants! I want to wear shorts!"

"No, Elijah," I explained, "You're going to be cold. And when the sun goes down after church, you will be very cold."

"I won't be cold!" he yelled, and kicked his legs.

I looked at him for a moment and considered my options. It wouldn't kill him to be cold if he really wanted to wear shorts; no sense in making an issue of it. However, I couldn't let him get away with that attitude. I walked around to his side of the car.

"You can wear shorts, but you have to get a swat for your attitude," I told him, and spanked him on the leg once. He fussed a minute, but he was okay. I buckled him in his car seat and kissed him on the head.

When he stepped out of the car in the parking lot, his first words were, "Whoo! I'm chilly!"

"I thought you might be, baby. That's why I wanted you to wear pants!"

"Oh, man!" he laughed. "I wish I wish I wish I had some pants!"

"You see, Elijah? You need to remember something...." And I told him the cold, hard truth:
(see video)

(*sorry for the camera being turned!)

I'm considering playing this clip on a loop in his room while he is sleeping.