So I learned a very important lesson on Monday afternoon: Be careful what you threaten with. What you think may be the magical statement to correct obnoxious behavior, could come back and bite you in the butt big-time!
Sam woke up ready for her day at 4:00am on Monday morning. Oh. My. Gawd. Somebody shoot me now, please. Hadn't we worked through our sleep issues and turned the corner back to getting a full night of sleep? I guess not.
Anyway, by 5:00pm, when it was time for Ian's soccer practice, Sam was in rare form as you can imagine. It doesn't take a genius to know that a toddler up since 4:00am and a mommy not thinking clearly doesn't add up to a whole lot of good. I brought a blanket, new Hello Kitty coloring book, and the big plastic bin of crayons to the field where Ian practices soccer. It was a gorgeous afternoon and I was hoping that the hour would smoothly move along to 6:00pm without too much turmoil. At one point, Sam was quietly laying on the blanket and coloring nicely in her book. Then she decided to turn the entire container of crayons (think roughly 200 or so) over and dump them on the blanket. So far, this is ok, as the crayons will be easy to pick up in big handfuls and easily put back in the container. It's when Sam started throwing each crayon individually as far as she could throw it in the grassy (tall blades of grass at that) field, that the real trouble started. She threw these crayons with gusto and they flew in every direction possible and gained quite a bit of distance from where we were sitting. Soooo not fun. Not fun at all.
Here's me trying to be the "I'm-not-going-to-put-up-with-this-behavior" Mommy and tell Sam that she needs to pick up the crayons now. She refuses. I tell her I am not going to pick them up and they will stay here in this field forever. Let me remind you, there are like 200 crayons all over the place! We go back and forth like this for a few minutes and then I pull out the big guns -- "Not only are you not going to get these crayons back, but you aren't going to dance class tomorrow either." I so can't believe I went there. What in the world was I thinking?!?!?!
I know how much Sam LOVES her dance class. Each morning she asks if she is having dance class that day and she runs through all the various ballet related items she'll need to wear (ballet shoes, tights, leotard, skirt). I really thought that by saying she wouldn't be going to dance class until the crayons were picked up was going to do the trick. Unfortunately it did not. And now, I need to live with the consequences too. I can't go back on my word, as Sam will know she has won and never take anything I say serious again. The thing is, I enjoy her being in this dance class as much as she enjoys being in it. But I need to stand my ground and hold true to my word. I could kick myself for having these words come out of my mouth.
Once Stefanie and I realized that Sam was not going to pick up the crayons, Stefanie quickly offered to pick them up and get them back in the container. It wasn't right to leave them littered all over the field. Especially when they go to mow the lawn next. On the sly, I helped her gather them (without Sam noticing) and give the container to Stefanie to take back home. As we were walking back to the car, I reiterated that she no longer has her crayons and will also not being going to dance class the next day. Sam stopped walking, hung her head down low and decided she would begin pouting big-time. She didn't walk one step further, sat on the sidewalk and kept her head down the whole time. Once she realized I was still walking to the car, she'd run up, get in front of us, then sit back down on the sidewalk and continue pouting. This went on about 3 more times until the car was finally reached. What a drama queen!
The whole ride home, Sam cried for her crayons and for going to dance class. I can't believe I went there and have learned my lesson not to go there again. Next time I need to pick something that doesn't hurt me as much when I open my big mouth.
It's just so funny how we can go from an amazing experience of getting our nails done, to the extreme opposite behavior the next day when she is being defiant. I know this is because of lack of sleep. I am so ready for her to turn into the typical teenager who doesn't want to get out of bed. I am sure I will find something to complain about then, but it won't be for lack of sleeping.
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