Chickie scares me.
She's sweet and smart and fun, and I really enjoy her. But she's also got an independent streak a mile wide. It bothers me, and scares me, that she seems to be trying to figure out just how much she can get away with.
Our current issue is that she goes into her brother's room when he's trying to sleep. She goes in there very quietly, and she stays quiet while she's there. I can just imagine her little mind thinking, "Mommy won't be able to hear me this time!"
But if he is still awake--or she wakes him up--he protests. Loudly enough for me to hear. The kid likes his sleep, and he gets pretty indignant when his sister messes with it.
Even if Zoodle stays asleep, though, I have my
secret weapon. When Chickie pushes Zoodle's door open, his white noise machine gets louder. I've started recognizing that sound, and I know it's time for me to climb
very quietly upstairs, catch Chickie in the act, and give her a consequence. She's spending a lot of time grounded in her room lately.
The reason this
secret weapon works is because
I'm smarter than Chickie. It's quite convenient, being smarter than your kids.
So what happens when she gets older...and suddenly Mommy isn't smarter anymore? Honestly, it scares me. I'm sure I'm not the only parent who worries that a child's rebellious tendencies at age four will get ten times more serious by age 14 . I was a compliant child. It's hard enough for me to handle her preschool rebellion; how would I deal with teenage rebellion?
I know--it's silly to worry. She's four. All I can do is try to be consistent, try to teach her what's right and give reasonable consequences for the bad decisions--and the good ones--she makes. I've got to take it day by day. And I'll pray. A lot.
And hopefully most of her independent nature will eventually go in a positive direction, with her being a leader instead of a rebel.
