My Cute Little Sh!t

Charlie has become a little sh!t.

In a funny way.
(I know, right, can you believe I am saying this?!?)

So Kate gets told off. A lot. For different things lately. It used to be the faffing about with her hair in the morning. Possibly chewing with her mouth open. But now it's for avoiding homework, lying about doing her homework, faffing about with her hair (more), chewing with her mouth open, being superslow getting ready in the morning.

Charlie very rarely gets told off. In fact, I can't even remember when the last time he got told off was. He's always doing everything he's supposed to do, when he's supposed to do it, often without even being told to do it. He's ready ten minutes before we're supposed to leave in the morning. He wakes up in a great mood in the morning (takes after me). He doesn't have mood swings. He does his homework quickly and efficiently, when he's supposed to. I always joke that all I really need to do is feed him and give him cuddles - he is pretty much raising himself.

And now.

He's started milking it.

I noticed this last week when I was telling Kate off while she was making every effort in the world to avoid doing her maths homework (she expends more time and energy doing that than the actual homework itself would need). Charlie quickly did his homework, pulled out his home reader, came and read it (brilliantly) to me, changed into his pyjamas, brushed his teeth, packed up his schoolbag for the next day, and then asked me to put him to bed - ten minutes earlier than usual. All good stuff. But the giveaway was when I caught him glancing at me out of the corner of his eye while he was packing up his schoolbag (this act in itself should have been the giveaway - he doesn't usually do this til the morning)...he had a little look on his face that clearly said,"Look how good I'm being, while Kate is being naughty and getting told off!" And I had to bite my tongue to keep from bursting out laughing.

Yesterday was even more blatant.

We came home from school and I told Kate she had to do her homework immediately, and she wasn't allowed to even consider doing anything else until it was done. Charlie asked me if he could wait to do his til after dinner (our normal homework time). I said, sure, because I know he will get it done with no complaints or time-wasting. So as Kate sat at the table and started working on her homework, Charlie took a flying leap onto the sofa, lay down on his back, put his arms behind his head and said,"Aaaaahhhhhh, it's sooooo nice to relax on the sofa after a long day at school!"

What a little sh!t!

Of course, I ignored it, but when James came home and I told him all about it, we had such a laugh.