Let me tell you a story about my father.
Once upon a time (actually, more than once), a very badly
behaved little boy sat in the back seat of the family car during a long road
trip, deliberately provoking the driver by ramming his pointy little knees into
the small of the driver’s back. It was a source of great pleasure to the boy, who
disliked long car trips, had become bored and was looking for something fun to do.
From the front seat of the car came a series of calm responses
something like this: “Stop that, please” … “I believe I told you to stop that” …
“If you don’t stop that, there are going to be consequences”, and eventually, “The next time
you do that, we’re going to have to pull over.”
Finally, after the third or fourth transparently intentional provocation, the car eased
over to the shoulder of the highway, and child and parent made a trip into the
woods together for some clarification as to who was in charge.
Keep this story in mind, if you will.