Follow through

Tonight was the hardest night (to date) of having to follow through with punishment for our kids.  We clearly know the value of follow through, and know the importance of disciplining our kids. 

Thankfully so far they haven't pushed it too far.

But Z is 6.  And in school.  So he's getting older, and exposed to other kids and their ways of talking.  This week he has had quite an attitude.  He has been full of sarcastic and snarky remarks, especially towards me.  I can't really even come up with an example, but there are a lot. 

Yesterday I had to pull him away from his friend who was over after school so that I could remind him of how to and how not to talk to me, especially when his friends were around.  Nate had to remind him last night after baseball practice of how to talk to me and how to respect Nate (Nate was helping "coach" a bit last night). 

Tonight he was being snarky again while we were cleaning up, before our usual Friday night movie and popcorn.  I warned him once about how to talk to me, and the second time I sent him to his room.  We decided to not let him watch with us or have popcorn with us.  He got to read books in his room. 
It killed me.  I knew in my gut that he shouldn't watch, but I was about to let him out after we talked to him, but Nate reminded me to follow through. 

Z was pretty upset, but seemed to get it.
 
I know it will just get harder and harder...but I know that it will get MUCH harder if we don't follow through with it now while he is little.  Still, it was hard.  He is just such a good boy typically. 
Sigh.  This parenting thing isn't easy.