Civil Disobedience

I have entered some uncharted waters.  As a kid, I believe (I am sure that there are people out there in comment-land who will correct me if I am wrong) I was pretty much a straight arrow kid.  I followed rules.  I did what was expected.  I was respectful to my teachers. (Note: I did not say "sister," I said teachers.)

Along comes Mitch.  Type A.  Rule follower.  Teacher's pet.

Then comes Matty.  Oh, boy.  This is a whole different ball game. 

Now, he is not a hanging-from-the-ceiling-fan, he-just-set-the-cat-on-fire, has-anyone-seen-the-neighbor's-car-kind of naughty.  He practices a different art form.  That of civil disobedience.  Here he is with his inspiration.

What do you think?  Can you see the resemblance? Matty is not opposed to fasting.  He is peaceful, relatively quiet and kind, but does not listen to anyone.  Ever.

The other day at school, he was swinging his lunch bag around.  Here is a transcript of what followed:

Teacher:  "Matty, please stop swinging your lunch bag around.  You are going to knock something over."

Matty:  "No."

Teacher:  "Matty, please stop..."

At this moment, he hits his yogurt, sending it flying arcoss the room, leaving a trail of dairy evidence for three feet.

Teacher:  "Matty, I TOLD you to stop swining your lunch bag!"

Matty:  "Oh, I didn't hear you."

Teacher:  "What?  Yes you did!  You told me 'no'."

Matty:  "Oh."

Teacher:  "Go to time out."

Matty (skipping over):  "Ok!"

Oh vey.  Never really upset.  Not openly disruptive.  Just doesn't listen to anything that anyone asks him to do. 

This is new territory for me.  I do not know what to do with him.  So far, he has written apology notes to teachers.  I have made him scrub the floor to clean up the yogurt.  He has lost privileges.  Been to time out.  You name it, we have tried it.  He just smiles and politely disagrees with everything we say!

What do you think?  Just being 3? Just exerting his new-found independence?  Or heading for a life of crime?

Before you place your vote, please know that he tried very, very hard to steal money out of the offeratory basket at church two days ago.  Mike asked me to hold it for a minute while he fished in his wallet to give money to Haiti, and Matty immediately stuck his hand in, rummaged around, and latched on to a quarter that I had to wrench free from his little money-grubbing fingers.  From Haiti, people.  Haiti!  Is there any hope for the child?