Rude Mule

I'm not sure when it happened, but Owen has started to act a lot like a teenager - and not a polite one...

He has this attitude. I'm not sure where he got it from, but I have very little patience for it.

I'm working on how to handle it and have just taken out a book from the library entitled: Backtalk: 4 Steps to Ending Rude Behavior in Your Kids by Audrey Ricker. Once I've read it I will post a review of it.

In the meantime, I also found a children's book: Rude Mule by Pamela Duncan Edwards. It is really cute and makes Owen laugh.

It's about a little boy who has a rude mule show up for lunch and how the boy tries to teach him some manners. Of course it ends well, with the boy and the mule having a great time together.

Not only was it fun to read (and we read it countless times) but now I say "Owen, are you being a rude mule?" and he stops, laughs, and rephrases. It has really made things better!

Of course, it has only been two days. We'll see how long it lasts... but here's hoping.