About an hour and a half after he took off walking I got a call from Middle Boy asking me to come and get him.

He had walked the two and a half miles to Walmart and he wanted a ride home.  Now.

I explained I was really disappointed in a number of things which had already happened that day and that calling and DEMANDING I come get you isn't really that appealing to me.

I had recently read some articles on "integrative parenting" which suggest when you have the out of control child to try to cause them to have empathy by asking "what is in it for me?" 

So...as demands were being made on me to pick him up I stopped him and said, "what is in it for me to come and pick you up?  Where I stand it will just cause me more frustration and disrespect."

He assured me he was done being disrespectful and sorry for all of the lies about homework.

I went and picked him up and we talked about how it is NOT appropriate to just leave not let someone know where you are going and also not appropriate to talk to me the way he has been lately.