The Battle Between Princess Grumpy and Princess Happy (hint: Princess Happy wins!)

I like to try the art of distraction for as long as it will work. That’s my motto, “Distract them well and distract them often!” Sometimes, however, distraction just doesn’t work. My children can often be distracted into obedience. Somehow I’m able to distract them into thinking that whatever I’m asking them to do is their idea or a game or some such. As they are getting older and more often than not these days though, it doesn’t work.

When my 3-year-old decides that she will not be obedient no matter what I say, I have no choice but to take action. This morning after one long continuous tantrum of which I was not able to bring her out of with my usual routine, I told her to go to her room. Princess Grumpy’s eyes widened and she threw her head back and screamed, “I don’t want to go to my room!” So, of course, I opened her door and helped her start walking toward it. She promptly sat down on her bed and with red-rimmed eyes she turned to me and said, “I calmed down now.” How convenient!

Not giving into the manipulation of a 3-year-old, I sat down across from her and explained to her that she would need to sit on her bed and decide if she wanted to be obedient to mommy and be in a better mood. She also had the choice of being disobedient and grumpy, in that case I explained, she could just sit in her room by herself. I told her that when and if she decided to be in a better mood and be obedient that I would love to have her come upstairs and join her brother and me.

Well, she was down there for about 25 minutes crying off and on when I heard these footsteps in the hallway. She came over to me smiling and said, “I’m in a better mood now!”

“I’m so glad!” as I gave her a hug and watched her dance off down the hallway and around the corner to the living room.

The next thing I asked her to do was to help me pick up some toys, she jumped at the chance to “help” Mommy! Amazing what a little reflective time alone can do – even for a 3-year-old. My Princess Happy has returned!

The Bopper and the Princess

There he goes again! My son, sparkling eyes, mouth set in a determined grin and giggles staggering out of him as he pushes his sister's baby stroller through the hall. She trails behind screaming at him to let go of her stroller.

He just enjoys terrorizing her! Overnight he has become this maniacal, giggling thief of all things pretty and princess. I truly believe that he has decided that his purpose in life is to completely invade her territory and pillage all of her stuffed animals/blankets/books/baby dolls. This beautiful, angelic, cherubic child can turn into a beast at a blink of an eye.

But then, my little princess is no angel at times herself! She is truly one of the sweetest children I know on the planet. Giving, loving, sharing, caring - all of those wonderful qualities are hers until her brother bops her on the head, which unfortunately happens more often than it should. True, I would not be very sweet if someone bopped me on the head, but I am trying to get her to use words (Don't hit me!) instead of action (bopping her brother on the head right back). She's actually doing quite well at it. It is obvious that girls are much more into verbal communication than physical communication. Where as my son is all about the tantrums and hitting, pushing (we, thankfully, have not gotten into biting or kicking yet), my daughter is all about the screaming. In fact, I asked her to stop screaming in the car on the way home from church yesterday and she very sternly corrected me, "I'm NOT screaming, I'm YELLing!" And yes, I did have to bite my lip to keep from laughing out loud.

*Sigh!* I hear a screaming princess...yes, she's all right, just got a bopping on the head from the bopper. It's time-out for that one as he sits looking at me with his lower lip sticking so far out you could trip over it. Too cute! I just keep telling myself that it won't be so cute when he's 16 and he's bopping people over the head.

The two minutes are up and he's released from his prison. :) I make him tell his sister that he's sorry for hitting her and then give her a kiss and a hug. Too precious! All is well between the bopper and the princess once more. He graciously shares a fruitsnack with her as she sweetly tells him, "Thank you!" They run off giggling to play in the other room. The laugh and dance around the room together. Harmony, at last!

Oh, the joys of raising children! Despite my exasperation with them at times, they are absolutely the joy of my life! They are learning all the time, every day and all day long. And while they learn, along the way I learn from them too. I'm so thankful for my little blessings!

Oh no, what's that I hear? Screaming again?! Here we go! The bopper is on the loose!

Ear Plugs Are the Finest Gift to Give!

I have been blessed with great hearing, not just good, normal hearing, but GREAT hearing! I can hear my husband scratching his head from the other room with the TV turned on and two children yelling, "Mommy!" at the top of their little lungs. Again, I say I have been blessed. But, with that blessing comes somewhat of a burden - not being able to hear myself think in the midst of chaos. Now, I can multitask with the best of them, but sometimes, sometimes I just want some peace and quiet (and no, my toddlers' names are not Peace and Quiet).

My husband, thankfully, is a very quiet man. He's gentle, smiles and nods his head in agreement most of the time. However, when he comes home and I'm in the middle of fixing dinner with a 3-year-old screaming, "I don't wanna watch Baby Einstein! I wanna watch Cinderella!" and my 2-year-old screaming at the hem of my pants, "I wanna see! I wanna see!" and my husband says to me in his quiet, loving voice, "Is dinner almost ready?", I could backhand him with the greasy spatula attached to my hand!

I'm telling you, ear plugs are a mother's best friend! I can put in my ear plugs and it's like putting the world on soft mute. I can still hear everything that's going on, but the miracle of it all is, I can now hear MYSELF think. Aahhh!