JustALittleBitBoohoo prompted: "Owen puts TK in timeout for something and TK decides he doesn't want to be in timeout anymore and gets up and Owen finds out"
If there is one thing Owen's learned in 26 years of parenting is there are good and bad days. There's no getting around that. All one can do is try to gain the skills to cope with the not-so-great ones.
Today is a bad day.
It's following a shift that went well over 24 hours due to the difficult call that came in at the end. TK took a short nap when they got home, but woke up and couldn't fall back asleep. Meaning, Owen also hasn't been able to catch up on his must needed beauty rest. He's resorted to his at home espresso machine to patch him through.
It was simple at first. TK ran around the house, making giant messes of his toys. His ADHD never allows him to stick to one toy or project for very long. Today, sleep deprivation makes it shorter. Owen attempted to make him clean up after each activity, but his own exhaustion made him take the easy way out and let it go.
Around 2 PM, TK runs to the sliding glass door and looks out to the backyard.
"Daddy, I wanna play outside."
Owen drains the last of his coffee. "Okay, bub. We can do that, but you need to clean up this mess first." He eyes the mountains of trucks, Legos, abandoned art projects and action figures.
"Later."
TK starts pulling at the door. Owen drops the mug onto the table and walks over, gently moving his hand away. TK pouts, stomping his foot a little.
"You know you don't touch doors when you're feeling small," Owen lightly reprimands. "We only go outside with Daddy."
"I want to go out now!" TK whines. "I wanna go on my slide."
"And you can do that, after you clean up. I'll even help you."
TK balls his hand into a fist and punches the door. "No!"
Owen narrows his eyes. "Tyler Kennedy, we don't hit things, remember? I understand you're having a lot of fun and don't want to stop, but you can't leave this big mess."
"I'll do it later."
"That's what you've been saying. It's later. Daddy will help you, but you need to come with me."
"No!"
TK tries tugging on the door once more. Owen places his hand over his to prevent him from actually getting it open. The lock is in place and he's not entirely sure TK's younger headspace will figure that out, but he's not taking any chances.
"Tyler…"
TK interrupts his lecture by kicking his father's leg. Owen stumbles just a bit but manages to catch himself. He sees a moment of guilt cross his son's eyes but the pout remains. Owen takes a deep breath and counts back from 5 in his head.
"Okay, I think someone needs a little timeout before we tackle these toys."
"No!" TK pulls against him. "Daddy, I'm sorry."
"I appreciate that, but you still need some time away."
Owen sees a few tears slide down his son's face. He straightens his shoulders and guides the whining boy to the corner. TK throws himself down onto the floor and kicks his legs.
"I said I was sorry!"
"I know you did," Owen assures him. "But you know the rules. We don't kick or hit to get our way. You need some time to think about that."
"I wanna go outside!"
"You're going to sit here for a few minutes."
More tears fall down TK's face. Owen turns his head to the device on a shelf over the TV.
"Alexa, set a timer for 10 minutes."
"Setting a timer for 10 minutes," the robotic yet somehow also feminine voice confirms.
"10 minutes!" TK cries out. "That's forever!"
Owen shakes his head. "Remember, timeout is quiet time."
TK goes back to whining. Owen hears him kicking his legs but allows it so he can get some of the energy out. He walks out of the room and into the kitchen, rolling up his jeans. Luckily, TK didn't kick him hard enough for there to leave any marks. He never does when he gets like this, which shows his father that he truly is in a younger state. Owen is more than aware his son inherited his right hook when the situation calls for it.
Owen knows he should've fought this battle an hour ago. The mess wouldn't have been so bad. Of course it all seems overwhelming to a toddler. It's why Owen plans to help him clean up. He just needs TK to understand that violence is never the answer when you're frustrated.
He debates another cup of coffee. No, at this rate, he'll be up all night which defeats the purpose of this 48 hour off period. Instead, he opts for a smoothie. Maybe that'll help TK calm down and regulate. He pulls out the ingredients for both, including the vegetables that are so finely chopped they won't be obvious in his son's peanut butter smoothie. It is nearly impossible to get greens in him in general, but especially when he's feeling so small.
TK's whining eventually stops and soon, the only sounds that can be heard are the blender. Buttercup whines by Owen's feet. Keeping one hand on the blender, he uses the other to scratch him behind the ears.
"You're fine with sirens and an active firehouse, but a blender is too much, hm?"
Buttercup nuzzles his knee. Owen smiles and goes back to his blender. Once his is done and he's taken a few sips, he rinses it out and starts the process again for TK's. The chimes from the Alex coincide with the blender turning off.
He transfers the smoothie to a sippy cup and tightens the lid. It's left behind beside Owen's tumbler in the fridge before he heads into the living room.
"Alright, buddy, are you ready to…"
Owen trails off when he finds the corner empty. His first instinct is the door, but it's locked up tight. Through the large windows, there's no evidence of TK in the yard.
"TK!"
Nothing. Owen runs his fingers through his hair.
"Tyler Kennedy Strand, this isn't funny. You need to come out here right now. We're not playing hide-and-seek."
Still nothing. Owen checks each part of the living room, even under the coffee table and inside the chest where they keep the throw blankets. As if his 5"11 son could even fit under there. The kitchen is out, he would've seen him in there.
"Tyler!"
Owen marches up the stairs. Buttercup trails behind him. Owen's room proves clear, as does the nursery. The last option is TK's older bedroom.
Owen checks under the bed and desk first. Buttercup heads straight for the closet.
"Now is not the time to steal his shoes," Owen says absentmindedly.
Buttercup only has to stare at him a moment for it to sink in. Owen quickly walks over and opens the door. TK sits beneath his nicer shirts and slacks, cuddling his three favorite stuffed animals close. Owen puts his hands on his hips. TK bites his lip as he looks up at him.
"Tyler," Owen says, his voice firm. "What are you doing?"
"Sitting," TK mumbles.
Owen pinches the bridge of his nose but quickly regains composure. "You're supposed to be in timeout."
"I'm in timeout. In my closet."
Owen clicks his tongue. He had to have a child with a lawyer. Of all the traits TK could've inherited from his mother…
"Tyler, you know you're supposed to stay in the timeout corner."
"I don't wanna be in timeout," TK complains. "It's boring."
"And playing in your closet is fun?"
"Uh huh. 'Cause I have PB and Cuppy and Spot." TK hugs them close. "Can play with them."
"Well, timeout isn't supposed to be fun. You're supposed to think about why what you did was naughty."
TK bites his lip. Owen crouches down in front of him and gently tips his chin up so they're looking at each other in the eye. There's a mix of petulance and guilt on his son's face.
"I asked you to clean up your toys and you didn't listen to me."
"Cleaning up isn't fun," TK whines.
"I know it's not, but it still needs to get done. I don't like having to clean up my room, but I do it anyway so we don't trip over stuff, right?" TK shrugs. "And then you kept trying to go outside by yourself. Do you know why that's not allowed?"
TK plays with PB's ear. "'Cause it's not safe."
"Why?"
"Gotta be with Daddy. No touchin' doors either without you."
"Exactly. I don't want you getting hurt." Owen pushes back some of his son's hair. "And what was the other reason?"
TK frowns. "Kicked you. That wasn't nice."
"Why'd you do it?"
TK shrugs. Owen sighs as Buttercup tries to nose his way into the closet. He gently pushes him back.
"Was mad at you," TK finally says.
"I understand that. And it's okay to be mad at me. But we don't use our body to show that. What do we have to use?"
"Words," he mumbles.
"Yes, very good."
TK pouts. "It's hard."
"I know, Monkey. I know. But you have to try to remember. You could've hurt Daddy."
TK looks at his leg. "Did I give you a boo boo?"
"No, but I almost fell."
"I'm sorry, Daddy." TK inches closer. He sounds so young yet sincere. "I'm really sorry."
Owen smiles a little. "Thank you. I forgive you." He kisses his forehead. "What will we do next time?"
"Use our words."
"That's right." Owen rubs his arm. "Now, you're going to go back downstairs and sit in the corner just for a couple more minutes. Without your little friends." TK frowns. "But you can have them back as soon as we're done cleaning up the mess. Which I will help you with, but you need to put stuff away too."
"It's a lot."
"I know, that's why I'm going to help. And next time, you'll listen to Daddy, right?" TK reluctantly nods. "And Daddy will be better about actually enforcing these things. I was a little naughty too."
The corners of TK's lips turn up. "Daddy go in timeout too?"
Owen chuckles. He ruffles his son's hair.
"Timeouts are for little boys, not for daddies. My punishment is having to help clean up that big mess."
TK nods. "PB wants to help clean up. And Spot. Not Cuppy though."
Owen snorts. "Why doesn't Cuppy want to help?"
"'Cause he's tired and lazy."
"That seems like a good enough excuse for a stuffie to have."
Owen stands up and holds out his hand. Buttercup bursts into the closet and licks the little one's cheeks. TK giggles, falling back against some of the storage bins.
"Cup," he squeals. "Gotta clean!"
Buttercup lays off and TK manages to stand up. He holds on tight to his small stuffies in one hand and grabs his dad's with the other. Owen guides him back downstairs, in hopes of turning this not so great day into a better evening.
Next time, we'll get a bit of angst, but lots of comfort too!
Let me know what you think! As always, feel free to leave prompts or ask me questions! I am on Tumblr and love communicating on there, as well as in the comments!