the punisher

My four-year old is a punisher.

He punishes those who do him wrong.

Or plan on doing him wrong.

Or at some point in far distance, may do him wrong.

His standard punishment is the roundhouse punch.

Very little needs to occur in order for his fist to raise in the air

and descend in a small but surprisingly effective arc.

His justice is swift and without mercy.

I was punched this morning for giving him cereal instead of oatmeal.

It's easy to laugh off until you realize this will quite possibly be how he solves

most of life's problems.

Forever.

It also makes taking him to a restaurant for breakfast a dicey proposition.

Punches just scratch the surface of the punisher's tools.

His most devastating attacks are emotional.

When he gets in trouble, he will find something of his that has emotional value 

and then threaten to throw it away or destroy it.

Many times I have rescued a new pair of pajamas or toy or book from the garbage

as he weeps beside it.

It's brutally effective.

Way more brilliant than trying to ruin something belonging to my wife or me.

On the bright side, If he is smart enough to come up with this tactic, 

I do believe great things await him.