Big trouble in the ******* household

I entered the living room to collect child 3 for her breakfast, she was on her Ipod, so hadn't responded to my calls from the kitchen. The TV  was blaring but my baby girl was completely oblivious! IPods, IPads, DS' etc etc generally do that to a child, actually adults probably suffer the same fate too.  Child 4 was wandering around with naughty intent a green "groan" tube, you know one of those long tubes that makes groaning noises each time you turn it upside down, in his hand. Intent my foot, to late I notice that our TV screen is completely black with 4 beautiful tiny stars smashed into the top right corner with rainbow flares spinning out from each point. Yes child 4 had hit / smashed his tube into the LED flat screen at least four times!  You would be proud I didn't raise my voice, I just said oh dear you have broken the TV, confiscated the tube (probably permanently) and turned off the TV.  Of course his older siblings were not so generous with their comments.

From that moment he was either really naughty or really cuddly. You know what they say about children seeking attention and that any attention is better than none, well that is definitely what I experienced with my youngest all day today. He started throwing again, tantruming every time he couldn't do what he wanted, he resorted to smacking and shouting if things went wrong, then he asked for hugs and kisses, at one point when I was strapping him into his car seat I asked him for kiss and he just puckered up, then after kissing me said again, again again.  His day finished with him climbing into the bath fully clothed.

It wasn't until later when someone suggested that perhaps he was aware that he had done something really serious and was then pushing his boundaries to see what would happen that I began to consider this insight. Perhaps she was right, but from my perspective there is nothing he can do that would make me change my mind about him.  I am not saying that I won't ever get angry, of course I am likely to shout, I am bound to be disappointed and cross at some point but my love for all my children is completely unconditional.