This morning things seemed under control, although time-wise Ricki and I were running a few minutes late. I continuously kept glancing at the clock, worrying that her ride would arrive before she went downstairs to wait for it. The situation was not helped by the fact that my two front-of-the-house timepieces give the hour with a difference of five minutes between them. [Every morning I make a mental note to adjust them, but later in the day I forget.]
Anyway, just as Ricki was ready to exit, I heard the honking of the cab.
“Ricki, there’s your ride! Go fast!”
She balked, and requested a (diet) candy.
“Ricki there’s no time! GO!”
So she dug in her heels, determined to get her way.
So I ran downstairs myself to the waiting car. Ricki had no one to argue with; it was evident that I was not giving in. But the whole way down she was hollering that this was not standard procedure, she is the one who has to leave, not me.
Moral of the story: One of the best ways to win an argument with your child is to run away from the dispute. And its better on the nerves; better on the eardrums.
I have written previously a similar, even better version of the “running away tactic” here.
2 comments:
LOVE it! I wouldn't call it running away, exactly. More like turning the situation unexpectedly on its head -- a creative and effective move.
I remember one incident of laryngitis when I had to whisper all day... the kids never listened better! Suddenly they had to strain to hear me, when I actually bothered to speak, and my instructions became pearls of wisdom... go figure.
Oh, that is hilarious!
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