Statue School

Because I was just sooooo looking forward to Kevin going back to work, I decided to add a couple of extra kids to my first few days back as a Daytime Single.

My step-brother and his wife spent a few nights celebrating their upcoming anniversary at The Inn on the Hill. We were very happy to entertain and feed their two daughters as to keep them alive while they went and tried to remember how to communicate when someone is not trying to interrupt you. As all couples must do every now and then just to prove to ourselves that it IS actually possible.

Morgan (5) and Brooklyn (2) came Monday afternoon and got to have 2 sleepover nights! It was a very good thing they came when they did. It helped to have cousins around to distract Karaia and Beckham from the fact that dad is no longer available as a toy.

It also helped me. Kids require less when they have someone to play with. Everyone, for the most part, got along and we only had a few, "She sat on my head" and, " They took my toy" tragedies.

They are both darling girls who behaved very well while they were here. However, you do learn a lot about a person, miniature or not, when you spend a great deal of time with them. I became quickly aware that although Brooklyn just turned 2 in Dec. she has certain negotiation powers that she has fine tuned.

She chose an action that resulted in a time out. She informed me in her broken Everything-Starts-With-A-D language that, No, she would not being going to time out seeing that her next scheduled event was to play with Barbies. Being that I have a few inches on her, I just listened to her politely as I carried her to the time out spot. It was quite clear that this spot was not ideal as she could still see the movie that was playing. I moved her upstairs and faced her to the wall.

After her allotted two minutes I reminded her why she got placed in time out and asked her to please apologize.

"No!"

"OK, you may sit there for a few minutes more. But as soon as you say sorry you get to go play with the Barbies."

Icy glare

A few minutes later......

"Are you ready to say sorry?"

"NO!"

We repeated this little conversation every few minutes. She just sat there studying the wall. She didn't whine, wiggle, squirm, pick at the carpet, turn to see if I was still looking, or make one little sound. I have NEVER seen a girl of her age be so still......or quiet! It was incredible. And by the 30 min. mark I was really feeling like a big meanie, but I believe once you put it out there you have to follow through on the rules.

Thankfully, after 45 MINUTES she decided she'd seen enough of that particular shade of brown. She kindly said sorry, gave me a hug and a kiss and skipped off to get lost in the glamorous world that is Barbie as if the last 45 minutes, of what I will now refer to as Statue School, never happened.