Bad Morning

We ended the day yesterday discussing at dinner Bens major attitude problem. I came at it kind and open. We discussed that there were a million tiny rude incidence throughout the day that are putting me to my boiling point and that I am not being very kind to him these last few days because he's being such a twit. I told him that I was trying to do better and be kind in specific situations and asked if he was. No surprise he was not. 

I let him pick a daily situation where we have trouble. Bedtime. He states that the trouble at bedtime is that I tell him to get his pajamas on and brush his teeth too many times every night. Instead of screaming in his face like I wanted to for being so blind to the problem, we discussed it. I asked him how many times I tell him to do said chores. We agree it is typically between three and five times a night, three being an unusual occurrence and more than five not so rare. I posed the crazy question of "if you obeyed the first time how many more times would I ask the same question?" He grumbled the obvious answer with disgust. Exactly how I feel. Disgusted.

With the conversation fresh in his mind, and his own time estimate of seven minutes on a timer in the kitchen he was ready in six minutes and fifteen seconds. And he nearly went to bed on the first request though he still lingered and tried to negotiate or find something to get me talking with him to distract me and let him stay up longer. 

This morning before my feet even hit the ground floor I got a report from Madison while I was showering that Ben said he hates her and Jacob says Ben pushed him on the ground. He is currently back in his bed reading for 30 minutes any violin that is NOT Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

I have no idea what to so with him once he finishes his thirty minutes away from me. This summer is a disaster for him. Last summer was too. If I recall correctly he was horrid for a month, we went to USA for 3 weeks where he was rotten but entertained enough not to cause too many problems dispite his atrocious attitude problem over every single thing he didn't want to do. Then we came back home and he was pleasant for a week before the last three weeks he was a beast again. This kid does so much better when he has school to fill his days with positive experiences that keep him happily busy and productively learning. 

I think for homeschool craft time today we may make a first day of school count down chain. I feel like I need it this morning. I'm just feeling depressed. I want to have fun and love on him but he doesn't allow any positive time between all the bad.