Gum=Tears

Chewing gum is nothing but trouble.

I have quite a few friends that have let their kids chew gum from an early age without any issues, but I tried to hold off giving the boys gum for as long as possible. Why? Because we have gum issues.

Maybe I'm against gum because it is bad for your jaw, teeth and stomach. Or maybe it is because gum in the mouth ends up being gum on the floor or fingers in the mouth playing with gum. Or it could be because gum in the mouth has to be taken out to eat and then there is no more gum. Or it could be that the irritating noise of non-discreat gum-chewing was the real issue. Whatever reason it was a long time ago that I banned gum chewing, it was a good one.

Today is a perfect example of the horrible effects of gum.

I buy gum at the store. Gabe wants gum. Gabe has a hamburger to eat so he has to wait to chew gum until the hamburger is gone. Gabe whines for a minute then chows down on the burger to get the gum. Enter Eli. Eli comes home from school and sees Gabe chewing gum. Eli wants gum. Eli doesn't get gum until he finishes his homework because yesterday he didn't do his homework. (Side-note: I intended for Eli's punishment to be not playing at the playground on the way home from school but there was a torrential downpour so playing at the playground was nixed anyway. The gum became a convenient punishment. The punishment isn't closely linked to the crime, but I explained to Eli that he can't have any distractions today because he has so much work to do.) Eli starts crying and throws his backpack across the room and slams the door. I take Eli to the bathroom and gave him the consequences for your actions speech. Eli calms down and does his homework. Enter Gabe. Gabe chats with Eli in the school room and reportedly was twirling gum around on his finger. Eli, eager to get Gabe in trouble calls me to come quick because Gabe is being naughty with his gum. Gabe starts crying because he thinks I'm going to take his gum. I'm already over the gum and chose to ignore the tattling. When Eli is finished with his homework he gets gum. Enter Gabe. Gabe sees Eli chewing gum and wants some. Apparently, he threw his out at some point. I tell him "no" because he already had his contraband gum for the day. Gabe freaks out and starts screaming "I want gum". We have a chat about how he chose to spit his gum out and now it is gone and he isn't getting any more. He decides to go outside to play with Eli. However, he walks outside and starts screaming something about gum. Then the yells were muffled and when I walked outside I noticed he broke into the van and was throwing a fit in there. I drag him out and take him to the bathroom for a little more "discussion" but this was more of a spanking than a discussion. I sent him to his room and he sat on his bed launching stuffed animals and bedding all over the place for the next 30 minutes. Enter Eli. Eli walks in to my room to ask me something and I heard a "swthew" sound and noticed something fly arc across the room and land on the floor. What could this mysterious flying object be? Gum. He was attempting to blow a bubble but instead blew the gum across the room. Now he is upset because he accidentally lost his gum.

Gum is bad.