streaking and cell phones

My son Alex loves his cell phone. All he talked about for Christmas was an Envy 3. Blue, not red. He researched it, he saved pictures of it to the desktop computer... it was definitely big on the wish list this year. Needless to say, he was beyond excited when he received the one he was wishing for on Christmas morning.

I have found that just the threat of taking it away as punishment is really effective in curbing obnoxious behavior. Most of the time.

Tonight at dinner, Alex was doing his best to irritate me and his sisters. When he took his phone out at the table to answer a text, I decided to take it from him, as it was blatantly going against the old "no-cell-phone-at-the-table rule," and I was about to the end of my patience with his behavior.

"Maybe I will give it back tomorrow if you can behave," I said.

After being subjected to several minutes of alternately begging and trying to butter me up, he asks, "What do I have to do to get it back?"

"If you eat three spoonfuls of peas, I will give it back to you." I said, knowing full well that he could never complete this simple task.

"NO! Nooooooo Mom, you know I can't! NEVER!"

Then, he brilliantly asks me, "If I streak around the house, will you give it back to me?"

"Outside?" I asked.

"Yes!" he answers.

"Sure, go for it Alex." I said while clearing the table. I chuckled to myself again, knowing that he, as a 12-year-old modest boy, would likely never strip and make a run for it - we live in a neighborhood, and though there are no streetlights, we have neighbors on each side of us. It was like, 20 degrees out. There is, in fact, a girl from Alex's class just a few doors down. He would never chance such a thing just to get his phone back.

All of a sudden I hear the garage door slam shut, and my daughter Megan squeals, "Oh my GOSH, he's DOING IT!!!"" Wouldn't you know, I look out the back door, and see his naked behind flying through the yard.

At least he had his sneakers on.

Seconds later, the garage door slams shut again, I meet him in the front hall. Red faced and breathless, he holds his hand out and I hand over the cell phone without a word.

That kid of mine sure has some spunk.