My children are both going through a new phase of testing us and other adults around them. This is iterative and if you don't keep on it, your little darlings will turn into little horrors. It may seem at first it's a terrible thing to not let your child have their breakfast until they put their clothes on (including socks) but in the long run, everyone understands the expectations, the children are empowered by their independence and we're all a lot happier.
Only right now, there is a lot of not happy happening. My children aren't happy because how terrible of us not to let them drink their entire drink at lunch, thereby filling their stomachs so there is no room for food. They complain loudly and have privileges removed because they want to whine and complain in a shouting voice in a restaurant when other diners are around. And of course, the typical toddler complaint of the food not being what they expect it to be (or want it to be, more to the point.)
My husband has a more gentle way with the children while mine is more testy. I don't like being pushed when I've already explained there will be a consequence if the child keeps on pushing. I really would rather not take the chocolate milk from the restaurant (a treat not given at home) and throw it away, only to have my son wail loudly and uncontrollably, but if he won't eat the food in front of him (option one) or stop whining about how it's not exactly what he envisioned for lunch (option two) then it's going to go.
There have been a lot of unkind things said to me, about me, that are hilariously funny were it an adult that said them to me, but from my four-year-old are causes for a trip to his room. Hey, you try to keep a straight face when your son tells you he's going to take all the poop in the world and put it on your head.
I've been spit on, coughed on, punched and kicked; all of which were room-worthy events. My son is just getting the hang of postponed consequences: "you will be going to your room when you get home." "Oh, thank you for apologizing, I'm glad you didn't mean it, but you're still going to your room when we get home. I'm sure next time you'll think before hitting me."
I'm making it sound like it's all bad, but it's not. It's just a lot of testing and it's tough being tough sometimes, especially when the consequence you have to impart is more frustrating on you than it may be the child.
My daughter is in the, "I'm pretending I don't hear you even though you darn well know I can," stage. It's one we've been through before and since she's the easier child, it's not as much of a stresser as my son's defiance. Oh, and my son still wants to be in control of everyone and everything.
It's shaping up to be an interesting year as a parent.
The Big Boy Update: The Darvay. My husband called me today and said excitedly, "I have something to tell you, I know what The Darvay is!" Back at Christmastime, my son wanted nothing more than a large boat toy he referred to as, "The Darvay." We didn't figure it out and he was happy with the boat toy he did get. Today he was talking to his father about something he'd seen in one of the Transformers: Rescue Bots show. He said, "It's the most magnificent ship in the harbor, the Darby Eva." My husband couldn't figure out what he was saying, but after looking up that phrase with the show title via Google, we finally had the answer to what The Darvay was.
The Tiny Girl Chronicles: There was a small black ant on the ground. I pointed it out to my daughter. She said, "that's my friend, Sheffie."
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