touché

As your children age, there are always transitions you encounter in the dynamics of the parent-child relationship. One that I have noticed more and more with Anderson is the transition from us always keeping him in line to him keeping us in line. Don't get me wrong--he may occasionally walk a fine line of disrespect which isn't okay and which requires correction, but typically he is just being honest with you. And he steps all over our toes.

Last night, as we were going out to dinner, he made a few comments in the car that were on the verge of being inappropriate for a child to say to an adult. (His remarks are generally funny, but Paul and I have mastered the art of holding our breaths to refrain from laughing.) I can't remember exactly what he said, I just remember thinking it was funny but a bit sassy. I told him, "Anderson, being sassy is in your genes, son. You come by it honestly. You are going to have to be very careful with your mouth because there are some things that children should just never say to adults. Did you know that when I was a little girl, my mouth was the one thing that always seemed to get me in trouble?" With barely a pause he replied, "Your mouth still gets you in trouble, Mom."

Touché.