Pride and sorry

How much pride and stubbornness and control can a small child actually have? The Bible speaks of pride being from fools and arrogance. But how prideful can one so small really have? We're finding out these days that the answer is QUITE A BIT! There is no doubt in my and Jamie's minds that children ARE IN FACT born SINFUL. I never really thought so many things about the issue when Matthew was smaller. He was a baby. Babies "don't know" how to act/behave/etc. ... But my word! We are seeing repeatedly JUST how much PRIDE and selfishness and stubbornness and will and control Mark has. and it's a LOT.

A week or so ago, he was hitting and kicking me. Jamie asked him to say "sorry." He wouldn't. He went back to bed. Got out, asked to say "sorry" and wouldn't. He went back to bed. Finally I was able to bribe him. I said "Mark, do you want your cup?" He nodded. "I said, Okay, say sorry and you can have your cup." He said "sooo-we. Cu-uh-up?" I gave him the cup.

He has a really hard time saying sorry to Matthew if he wrongs him.

Tonight though is just awful... He threw bucket fulls of water out of the tub. Jamie stood there, told him not to and he stared Jamie in the eyes and did it anyhow. I came in when I heard the commotion and saw what had transpired, scooped Mark out of the tub. Bath time is over. Got him dried off and changed and took him back to the bathroom to say "sorry" to Daddy. Would he? Nope. It's been like 20 minutes now. He's not interested. He's currently in his bed right now. Does that make me a horrible mean mom? Maybe. But so what. At this point, we have to nip this pride thing down FAST. When I asked him where the water goes, he could whisper "tub" to me. But can he face his dad and say "sorry" to him? Not yet. He had many chances to do so. I just heard Jamie go down the hall and ask him again, got no response and shut his door again. I'm shaking my head as I am typing this.

Oooo buddy, you have a LOT to learn. You can't just be all cute all the time and get away with things. In the long haul, is spilling water from the tub disastrous? No. But the issue isn't the action/offense, it's the unwillingness --in EVERY situation-- to say "sorry" for his actions.

If there are other moms out there with super strong willed, full of their own pride children, HOW do you handle situations like this?