As you know, I regularly participate in the Works for Me Wednesday blog carnival hosted by We Are THAT Family.
I enjoy thinking of new things throughout the week that actually work for us!
Yesterday afternoon I thought I had come up with the perfect thing to settle a dispute between EA and MC on the spot. Well, as you can see, it DID NOT work!
I received two new Disney Sing-Along-songs DVDs in the mail for them yesterday.
There was a Disney Princess DVD that MC claimed as her own.
And EA claimed the Winnie the Pooh DVD as belonging to her.
Of course each of them wanted to watch their video first and there was so much drama that it was apparent that MAMA needed to step in to solve the issue.
I suggested that we watch the Princess one first since Will was still napping and he would enjoy watching Pooh when he work up.
EA was. not. having. THAT.
No, not at all.
Innie Minnie Miney Mo has worked for us in the past, but instead of going with that classic, I decided to try something new.
I suggested that we write the name of each DVD on a slip of paper and pick one out of a box. Whichever was chosen would be watched first.
I even let EA pick the paper.
And, secretly I prayed that my “brilliant” plan would work or that she would pull out the Winnie the Pooh slip so that I would avoid more afternoon drama.
Well, um….no….
Of course, she pulled out the paper, with Princess written on it.
The cried the entire time I opened the cellophane wrapper on the movie and placed it inside the DVD.
She screamed and wailed and moaned and groaned and threw the biggest fit ever….all because “I want to watch Pooh first!!!”.
There was no consoling her broken heart.
So, I sent her to her room.
Keith called on the web cam and I had to explain to him the reason for her crying…..and all we could do was laugh about the absurdity of the situation.
You would think that randomly choosing one slip of paper out of a box to solve this conflict would have been the simple, fair solution, and it would have WORKED.
But, no, it didn’t.
And I know exactly why….
because she is FOUR!
Homegrownstrawberries says
I was sitting here laughing so hard when you suggested the drawing the name from the hat and playing that it would seem more like a game to them. I know exactly how my four year old would act if is was already upset and did not get her way regardless of how it was decided. I’m sorry it did not work out. But this is the sort of story that will get told at the dinner table 20 years from now, and hopefully everyone will get a laugh out of it.
Homegrownstrawberries’s last blog post..Planing for the Future
Elizabeth says
Oh that made me laugh out loud! I have so been in that same situation and nothing logical is ever logical to anyone under 10. Too funny!
Elizabeth’s last blog post..Leah Faith
LifeAtTheCircus says
This was great! Thanks for sharing!! These situations are so hard to navigate and I often find my “great ideas” not working as I’d like. Glad to know I am not alone on this.
LifeAtTheCircus’s last blog post..A Girl That Knows What She Wants
chris says
I agree, she is 4. But you know what? Even though you don’t think it worked this time, if you continue with that she will get used to it and I bet her tantrums get less and less each time and it will work.
chris’s last blog post..Thankful Friday
Heidi @ ggip says
I agree with your conclusion. Very much part of being 4. 🙂
Heidi @ ggip’s last blog post..Transition from Cradle to Crib