Asking what was wrong, it became clear it revolved around the morning’s homeschooling attempts with my 10-year-old and 8-year-old.
After consultation with my wife, I sat down with my son and daughter and gave them these totally new thoughts:
1. Daddy takes care of his things.
2. Daddy gets VERY angry when his things
are hurt or damaged by others.
3. Carol was their mother, but Carol is
Daddy’s wife.
4. Daddy’s wife is more important to Daddy
than anything else they could hurt.
5. Stop hurting Daddy’s wife! I won’t stand
for you damaging what is mine, and
Carol is mine!
To this day, my adult children (with children of their own) remember that very day, and they remember the words of that very lecture.