We’re About To Be Ostracized From Playdates

When we came up with the name Knox it was pretty much because we have a thing for short names (Cindy, Seth, Kyla, Riya…), we liked how it sounded and it just felt right for our only boy growing in my tummy.

Also I kind of enjoy the random nicknames that we have since come up with and the nerdy jokes that you can make with his name, “Knox, Knox – whose there?”

But the problem is that I think he has decided that he is going to take his name seriously. It’s probably my fault that I didn’t sit him down with the dictionary earlier to define the difference:

knock (nk) (Credit)

v. knocked, knock·ing, knocks
v.tr.
1. To strike with a hard blow.
2. To affect in a specified way by striking hard: knocked the mugger senseless.
3. To cause to collide: I knocked my head on a low beam.
4. To produce by hitting or striking: knocked a hole in the wall.
5. To instill with or as if with blows: We tried to knock some sense into his head.
6. Slang To find fault with; criticize: Don’t knock the food; it’s free.

And

Knox

The name that you respond to when it’s being shouted. Usually in a sentence along the lines of, “No Knox, don’t knock!”

I suppose there is a reason that he could be confused…

The point is that he is obsessed with knocking anything and everything, with anything and everything. Nothing is out of bounds including bodies, heads and faces of unsuspecting victims. And to make matters worse, the problem is compounded because he lures you in with these eye lashes, full cheeks and super cute dimple…

And just when you are close enough and think that he may just give you a cuddle or kiss, he smacks you one shot across the face and then sits there giggling.

At Mommy groups or playdates we all know of the child that is inclined to hurt the other children and sometimes you may even avoid playdates with them altogether because, well, you don’t your kids to come home with a blue egg on their head or anything.  But you guys, I AM the one with that kid!  We actually had first hand experience the other day when he whacked his (not easily upset) friend on the head a couple of times with a plastic rake and it was bad enough for her to be inconsolable for quite a while…

This is not a phase that the girls went through (or if they did, it was definitely not for very long), so I’m not quite sure how to get him to stop.  When he does it I try to very firmly say something along the lines of, “No Knox, we don’t hit” and smack his hand (not hard, but hard enough for him to get the point).  He is too little to put on the naughty chair so this is the only way that I can think of to fix it.  It sort of seems to be working but not nearly quickly enough.

Anyway, if there’s anyone out there still willing to playdate with us, hit me up…

Excuse the pun.

Oh and I know you’re probably annoyed with me about this already but, don’t forget to nominate this blog – don’t get me wrong, I don’t have any delusions of grandeur – I don’t expect to win or anything – but it would be quite cool to make it into the top 10.  (Cindy Alfino, www.alfinos.wordpress.com)