Not an Idol post

I was planning to come on today to post about American Idol last night. Is it just me, or was last night really boring? I didn’t love anyone’s performance, and I’m sad to say that I think Brooke is going home. Even my boy David C didn’t “wow” me like usual, and it seemed like his cranium was way more massive than normal. Did you see him standing next to Ryan? He looked like an orange on a toothpick (name that reference for bonus points).

So, instead of posting about a boring week of AI, I find myself thinking about other things - namely my oldest child. I know that I don’t post about her much. It isn’t that I don’t love her, because I do. She’s an amazing child. Sometimes I forget she’s only 3 (almost 4) years old, because she seems so much wiser than her years. I guess that is why I don’t post about her much. Well-behaved children don’t make interesting blogging fodder.

But yesterday she did something naughty. When I picked her up at daycare, I noticed she was wearing a fairly nice watch. It was a silver butterfly watch with a pink band – very cute. I asked her where she got the watch, and I even asked her teacher, but no one seemed to know. I didn’t get a straight answer until we were in the car. It was then that G told me her teacher gave her the watch for being good. I was still suspicious, but I left it there. It wasn’t until dinner that I learned the truth – because her 2 year-old sister ratted her out. Just as I had suspected, G had stolen the watch from another child at daycare.

I actually didn’t get mad at her (which amazed me, since I tend to over-react). I calmly told her that I was very disappointed and that as a punishment she would be going to bed with no stories. She would have to return the watch the next day, and to say that she is sorry.

She was very sad and remorseful, and I think she understood that she did something wrong. It still didn’t keep her from trying to manipulate me into reading her a story. She kept coming into Bryn’s room while I was reading to her. Each time I would put the book down and ask her to leave. G was so sad. Finally her sister was in bed, so I went into G’s room. Instead of story time, I turned off the light. She was so sad – she LOVES story time. She kept making comments to me like:

Mommy – do you want me to be sad, or do you want me to be happy? If you want me to be happy, then I need my story. It’s not fair that I can’t have my story.

I simply responded to her that the poor little girl with the missing watch is probably at home right now crying, and is it not fair that you made her sad. I also tried to explain to her that she is being punished, and that usually makes people sad. I told her that I do love her, and want her to be happy, but she also needs to learn not to take other’s property.

Sometimes being a parent is so difficult. I want to teach her what is right, and I worry that she just isn’t getting it. I’m sure it’s only going to get worse too.