Testing the waters

Millie has been very testy lately, at home and at Ms. Andrea's. She had to go to time-out several times yesterday because Ms. Andrea would tell her to pick up the toys, and Millie would just stare and her and say, "No."

Then, last night, she was misbehaving at dinner and started hitting me. So I said, "Okay, that's it. Dinner's over, let's go take a bath, and you've lost your milk for tonight." She cried, kicking and screaming all the way to the bath, and cried while taking a bath. I got her ready for bed, and she then started asking for milk. I had to break the news to her.

I told her, "Millie, you've lost your milk tonight because you were being mean to Mommy and disobeying Ms. Andrea." She then started hugging me and saying, "Sorry" in sign language. I told her that I accepted her apology but that it was too late for tonight. I also explained that she couldn't act like that; that she needed to be nice. She kept hugging me and saying sorry.

But, I didn't give in....

It took her longer to go to bed last night, even though I started the process early. But that's the only way she will learn. And she knew exactly what she was doing.