And The First Shall Be Last. . .

We have really been struggling lately with Isaac. While he's ultra helpful, always wants a job to do. He also always wants to do everything (not letting anyone else help) and to always be first. We've been trying to work on this for awhile with him. Talking about taking turns, making others happy, not pushing, etc. Well today on our way out of walmart, when he shoved his sister out of the way so he could climb in the van first, I had it. I was standing there in the walmart parking lot looking for a quick brainstorm for how to handle this situation without just losing it like I felt like doing. So I quickly blurt out a new punishment, "Isaac, you can't be first to do anything for the rest of the day." He just looked at me in bewilderment and said, "What do you mean mommy?" Good question, I thought for a second and explained how for the rest of the day he had to wait for someone else to go ahead of him. To get out of the car he needs to let one of the others get out first, when getting lunch he can't have his plate and drink first, but needs to be after someone. If they are picking out popsicles he needs to let someone else pick out there popsicle ahead of him and then he can pick his. As I explained this I'm sitting there thinking, boy is this a stupid punishment or what. But Isaac is looking at me with pure shock on his face. He asks if he can have turns at being first, and I realize that this really is impacting him (good I hope it helps!), so I explain that tomorrow we'll take turns as usual, but that for the rest of today he doesn't get to be first at anything. He looked crushed, but I could see him thinking, "She'll forget" as he started to brighten up. As we pulled into the driveway I reminded him that he needed to let the others out first, he moped through it, making it hard for them to pass him on the way out, but he did it. At lunch he was sad when I placed his sister's plate and cup down before his, I could again see him thinking, "How long is she going to remember this for?" So we still have half a day (and a trip to church tonight) to go. We'll see how we do, and more importantly we'll see if he does any better with taking turns tomorrow. . .
**UPDATE** Well it is two days later now. I did manage to remember the punishment the rest of the day, as did Isaac. And it's only been a couple of days, but he's been doing much better than before on letting others have turns being first, etc. Maybe my dumb idea wasn't so dumb after all.