Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Tough Love

Liliana has been moody and at times unpleasant lately. I finally had it when this morning she refused to pick up her toys that she had dumped out last night when she was supposed to be sleeping. So I pulled out one of my mom's old tricks and asked if she wanted me to put all her toys in a bag or if she was going to pick the toys. She just looked at me and said, "In the bag." So I got a bag and started putting her toys in. She just sat there, cool as a cucumber. But Grace lost it. She started trying to pick up Liliana's toys for her (she didn't get much- I was much faster) and crying because she "loves Liliana's toys and wants to be able to play with them." I put the toys in my closet and Grace continued to sob in her room. Liliana came in to tell me that Grace was crying and that I should go see her. I explained to her that Grace was crying because Liliana's toys were gone. Didn't even phase her.

Grace finally admitted that she had helped make the mess, which gave me an out to let them BOTH clean up the mess (which Liliana agreed to do). But seriously, how bad is it when you set out to punish one child and end up punishing the other inadvertently?

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