Jake's preschool teacher, Ms. Kathryn, told me about Sassy Sauce. Several months ago I was having trouble with Jake talking back, telling me 'no', etc. She said that someone had told her about it, and she wasn't claiming that it was a good parenting tool, but that she had tried it with her little boy (right Kathryn?) and it worked. Sassy sauce is apple cider vinegar sprayed in the mouth or spoon-fed to the sasser. Eeewwww.
Lately we have had quite a problem with our little boy and defiance. He doesn't want to obey, he throws a fit over not getting what he wants or he tells us no. We had reminded him of sassy sauce. So Monday I was shaking rugs out in the backyard and he wanted to come outside, but was wearing only a t-shirt and underwear. I told him to go get shorts on, then he could come. In response, my angelic son pushed past me in the doorway huffing, "but I WANT to come outside."
Uh-oh. Sassy sauce.
I couldn't find apple cider vinegar, only white balsalmic vinegar. Eeewww. He whined and cried a lot but finally took a spoonful from Andy. He cried so hard. Then as Andy was trying to calm him down and talk to him, he cried out in panic, "Jesus help me with sassy sauce!"
In his agony he cried out to Jesus!
We gave him a drink, talked about the offense and hugged and forgave. I was glad to find a consequence that he REALLY dreaded and that he knew Who to cry to for help! And the last few days the defiance has gotten a lot better.
Any thoughts? Are we cruel and unusual parents? :)
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7 comments:
That brought tears to my eyes that he cried out to Jesus! Very special! You're obviously doing something right!
psalm112 said just what I was thinking. You are doing something (and many more things) right.
I think that is a great idea! And how great is it that the first person he thought to cry out to was Jesus!!!
Oh sweet, sweet Jakers! :) How wonderful that he knows who to cry out to for help. I simply love it!!
Sassy sauce worked for us. I haven't used it in a while, but Braxton cringes if I mention the name. We used it for a time for verbal misbehaving against mommy and daddy....back-talking, yelling at me, telling me no. I diluted it with water and it still had the affect of tasting horrible.
It's hard to have a strong-willed child, but I love him to pieces. We have been having a hard time recently with defiance as well...maybe I need to bring it back???
Oh my goodness....Sweet Jake, and what a wonderful testament to your lives, Laura and Andy that he would know to call His name. Hopefully you wont have to do it much more. Not cruel to me and a good time to be starting it I think.
Yeah, it did make an impression on Jake because later at the dinner table at Grammy and Grampa's house, he told the sad, sad Sassy Sauce story :(
You and Andy are not cruel; however, maybe a little unusual. How many other 3-year-olds are taught so well as to know to cry out to Jesus?!
Love, Grammy
p.s. There are probably times when we all could benefit from a little Sassy Sauce!
Wish I'd known about sassy sauce when me kids were little... will certainly pass it on to them when they get kids of their own.
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