One for the Parents

When I was buying Teacher Appreciation gifts, I picked up a couple extra bundlets for us to enjoy at the house.  The girls wanted to have a piece of cake after dinner tonight, and had to finish their dinners to partake.  Emma saw me take the cake out of the fridge and wanted it immediately.  I told her, "dinner first, then cake."  And.She.Screamed.  We asked if she wanted cake, and she nodded.  So then we told her to eat her dinner and she shook her head and pushed the plate away.  This went on for a number of minutes.  As the major meltdown approached, Steve took Emma to her room.  She proceeded to scream at the top of her lungs, stomp her feet, and throw herself on the ground.  We left her in her room having her fit-heard-round-the-neighborhood.

Meanwhile, Sara was in the kitchen enjoying her cake.

After a few minutes, Steve went to Emma's room and asked if she was ready to finish her dinner.  She screamed louder.  Definitely not ready.

Meanwhile, Sara had seconds.

A little while later, Steve and I both went back in and brought her - not crying, but doing the after-cry pant/hiccup thing - back into the kitchen.  I put her in her seat and showed her her dinner plate.  When she didn't see cake on it, she started crying again and crawled up into my arms, where she sobbed and sobbed.  It's so sad to not get your way.

I held her while I did some other things in the kitchen for a few minutes, and eventually she pointed to her seat.  I put her back in it.  She didn't go for her food right away, but we left her alone and before we knew it, she had polished off her dinner.  Then Emma got her cake.  She was thrilled.

And so were we.  We waited out the tantrum, and she caved; in the end, we all got what we wanted.  The midst of the fit is so hard, made harder by the fact that we only get a few hours with her each evening.  But we are committed to making sure she knows who's boss ... not because we're mean, but because we love her (and maybe a little mean, if you ask Sara's opinion lately).  Fighting her doesn't work every time, but it worked this time.  I'm hoping our tough love pays off down the road.

Tonight, one for the parents.  Go Team.