It sits there on the bathroom counter. It’s not hiding. It’s right out in the open. And yet, I don’t often see it. I’m sure I see it. I just don’t see it. The glass is full of little bars of soap. When Lion is done with soap, he adds to the glass. I normally use the bar until it’s completely gone. If I still have a sliver, he adds to the glass, otherwise he donates it to me.
For whatever reason, this glass caught my eye last night as I was brushing my teeth. The purpose of saving the tiny pieces of soap was to wash Lion’s mouth out from time to time as punishment, or in addition to punishment. It, along with standing in the corner, were a sort of punishment dessert. The cherry on top, if you will. It’s been a long time since I’ve made him stand in front of the mirror, watching bubbles form on his lips. That’s what I was thinking about as I cleaned my own mouth. Of course, mouth soaping is not really for cleaning.
I’m not sure how many times I’ve made him hold a bar of soap because he said something wrong. That would be a direct correlation. Interrupt or be a know-it-all and, since his mouth got him in trouble, it stands to reason it should suffer the brunt of it. But I don’t often punish him for interrupting or being a know-it-all. It’s not that he doesn’t do it. I just growl at him rather than actually punishing him. The past few weeks I’ve been so tired and/or achy, I’m sure I’ve let a lot go. But it would make sense to make him stand in the corner or hold a bar of soap in his mouth when I’m tired. It’s a low energy punishment. I don’t have to do anything. I could tell him what to do and I could set a timer while I eat bonbons or paint my nails.
I wonder if I’d be more likely to punish him for things if I didn’t really have to do anything. It would certainly make things easier when I’m tired or achy. Maybe that glass on the counter won’t stay full for long.
[Lion — That makes sense to me. One thing that Mrs. Lion doesn’t know: that soap is nearly tasteless :)]
