Annabella will be 7 soon. She’s tall enough to pass for much older. Tall enough to ride roller coasters, and she loves them.
Yesterday she was busy exercising her sassy attitude, which is seldom appreciated by her parents. I asked her to go to her room and when I went up to chat with her about her attitude, she informed me, “I’m too big for time outs.”
“You probably are,” I said, “but I don’t think you’ll like the alternative. Because once you are truly too big for time outs, then I’ll have to start taking away privileges when you make bad choices.”
“Like what?” Annabella nearly whispered, looking at me like I’d threatened her very existence.
“Like your Leapster, movies or your computer time.” It is so hard to maintain the level of earnestness required for these discussions.
“But Mom,” Annabella piped up, “what if you get really mad and take away my refreshments, along with my beverages?”
Aug
01