When it’s ajar!
I used to die laughing at that joke as a kid. (I admit, I still do a little.)
Oh and get this, I used to think the song from Evita was High Flying A Door.
And I love the band but I admit I was surprised there was a brand new website being developed. Didn’t Jim Morrison die in 1971 and the band dissolve in 1972?
So, doors. Yup. I’m thinking about doors.
Why?
Well, for months now, my boys have been getting more physical with each other. There’s been more pushing and shoving. Nothing drastic.
Yet.
But one of the things that bugs me the most is when they slam their bedroom doors.
I understand the motivation. They want privacy. They want to get away from their tormentor. They vant to be alone.
But I worry about someone getting hurt. And (not that this will make me sound like a nice person, but…) it just plain drives me crazy. I despise the sound of it. And it irks me. Big time.
So a few weeks ago, I told them that if they slammed their doors, I’d take the doors off.
Oh wimpy me. I did nothing.
Last night, two of them slammed and there was a lot of screaming. (I know, hard to believe.)
Andrew and I went up there with a hammer and screwdriver and removed the offending doors.
Reactions?
One son asked for how long. Oh, that’s okay.
The other son wailed. And wailed and wailed and wailed. “How could you do this to me? This is the worst thing that has ever happened to me. I have no privacy. This is just terrible.”
I reminded him that I had told him the consequences in advance.
“But I never thought you really would,” he said.
Well, he was wrong. And pissed. And I think he’ll think twice before he slams that door again.
That is, if we ever put it back up.
Finding Blanche 
Oh, no you DID-uhnt! Too funny! Good for you guys for following through. 🙂
Very clever of you! Oh, the power of parents.
a friend of mine used the same method with his teenage daughter and it worked. too funny! but it’s never too early to learn about consequences. hang in there and stay tough!
Zandria – I did!
Mary – The power is overwhelming 🙂
Elizabeth – All is well. I’ll take notes for you! That baby is going to be a pre-teen one day!
That’s great! I’m going to remember that one a few years from now.
I love it! I can’t help imagining the future: Year = 2028. Thanksgiving dinner, a new daughter in law at the table, perhaps, and the conversation turns…”Remember when Mom took the bedroom door right off of the hinges?!!!”
Been there and have done that…it works too, amazingly enough. 🙂
oh yeah – we didn’t have a door on the boys’ room for almost a year -on and off, on and off, and finally we just left it off. good for you!!!!
this might be all the leverage I need. I’ll just tell them to ask your boys what happens if you slam doors. Any other threats you carried through that I can use on my 3?
Loved your blog..how very clever of you!!
Hilarious – how clever of you to follow it through 🙂
Oh, my mother did this to my cousin (when he lived with us) as a teenager. I have no clue how with no door for four years he got away with all the crap he did, but he still was able to pull stuff.
i think my parents did that to me, too. or at least threatened to. i’ve already had this conversation with both k and j – next time there is door slamming, the doors are GONE.
I bet the perfect third child won’t be slamming a door anytime soon. He’s got a prized possession, a wanted and hot commodity! You’re so clever Wendy (and you are too Andrew!) – One thing though, if Andrew slams your door, does it come off, too, or will the consequence of an open door in the late evenings be too damaging for the kids?