Mean Mommy

I knew the day would come, but it makes me a little sad when I have to become the "mean mommy." 'N' now realizes me not just as mommy, giver of food, comforter when hurt, but also as disciplinarian! With her new found independence, increasing crawling speed, and ability to pull up on objects, 'N' has been getting into things like cabinets, CDs, trash cans, etc. For awhile redirection has worked, by just picking her up and putting her in a new place with new toys and she'd usually forget whatever she was into. Len and I have been saying "No, no" to her, yet she usually just smiles and continues on with what she's getting into. So, we've begun the negative reinforcement! We now give the tiniest pat-pat on her hand as we say "No, no", and it is devastating to 'N'. She looks at you with these big, sad, pitiful eyes and just sobs and sobs like you've crushed all her lifelong dreams! Its a bit heartbreaking. A new chapter in our relationship has unfolded - a new era begins (and lasts through high school, college, maybe even death?) and we will never be the same ol' sweet parents in her eyes!

And although I really do hate this part of my job, all it takes is for me to see one bratty kid somewhere in public - a school age child stomping their feet demanding something from mom, a teenager cussing at their parent and rolling their eyes at them, a child refusing to eat any good food that is set before them on the table (while their parents plead on) all the while stuffing their face with cookies and junk (you know what I'm talking about - you've seen them too!) -
I only have to see one of these and I remember why I discipline. It's not fun, but it's right thing to do. I'm not raising my best friend. I'm raising a future peer, a future teammate, a future co-worker, a future spouse!