Friday, April 4, 2008

Karma Chameleon

Nothing to do with Boy George, here's a glimpse of how T2 can change her colors in a split second!
This happened yesterday...I woke up after snoozing the alarm a few times like I always do. Soon T1 woke up, her usual joyous self. I brought T2 to our room and let her lie down for a few minutes - she needs some transition time to wake up (like mommy, like daughter)!
She asked if she could sleep for 5 more minutes, I glanced at the clock...and said yes. It was only 7.30 and we had some cushion!
Soon T1 and I were almost ready and T2 still did not want to wake up...
She complained that she was sleepy and wanted 5 more minutes (Was she snoozing me??)

It was 8.00 already, aka time for PlanB! So, I got all silly and whooshed her to the bathroom like I do often times. She usually loves it. But not today, No siree!
And then it started - just out of the blue came her high-pitched crying.
It started off so high that there was no sense in trying to reason.

I reluctantly left her in the bathroom crying.
I heated up milk for all of us and threw a couple of our favorite Fig and Flax waffles in the toaster oven.
I thought I'd give her some time to calm down, and she did...if only for a minute!

So I braved it back to the bathroom and she wanted her blue blanky. That's a good sign, I thought. The sight of Blue-blanky usually mellows her down.
I asked her what letter she wanted her paste as...
This is another brush-time routine - it's usually "C" for Caterpillar, after her favorite book, "A Very Hungry Caterpillar".
She really wanted to trouble me today, cos she decided she did not want a letter, she asks for me to draw Piglet if not Pooh!
Draw Piglet or Pooh on her brush with her paste?
No kidding! I could almost see a smirk in her 3-year old face. I find it hilarious on hindsight...

It was about 8.20 by then, and I somehow managed to convince her that I'll write a "P" instead. She agreed!! WOW! That was easy!
I thought too soon that her tantrum ended.

Next, she simply refused to get off of the potty to brush her teeth. Gimme a break now, sweetheart! I had to whisk her again and brush her teeth through her screaming.
It was actually a bit easy cos her mouth was open all the time :)

Through her crying, she gargled and then I bathed her, again more crying.

And suddenly the crying stopped. That's it! Just the way it started - no warning!
Like the aftermath of a storm, she was completely calm and gave me a bright smile.
She changed her colors faster than a Chameleon...

She loved the dress I had picked for her (more because she got to wear stockings, I think). She wanted a big huggie. She got 10.

In the next ten minutes, we were out of the garage after getting dressed, drinking milk, taking Vitamins, and having a spoonful of Pankaja Kasthuri, all buckled up and ready for the day!
Slowly I broached the reasoning pep talk...and she nodded her promises to me briskly...

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

i guess leaving them alone is the best esp since they start to realise that crying is not going to get them anywhere... but being in the situation, thats the hardest to do. and sometimes makes u wonder why go thru all this... they r too cute to be seen crying and we might as well give in... gosh...all these parenting tricks!! love, sis-u.

Cee Kay said...

Wow! You have a LOT of patience :D

Yet Another Mother Runner said...

hi sisU-Yeah! these parenting tricks! Works once, backfires the next time...Hope at the end of the day, they all turn out alright!

gettingtherenow: Not so sure about that ;)

Cee Kay said...

i would have lost my composure 5 minutes into it. You handled it really well!

Savani said...

can I send Chip to you? I am running out of good humor and patience with the tantrums. T2 is such a darling though. And you draw letters with toothpaste?? WOW. you rock.

Yet Another Mother Runner said...

gettingtherenow: see, i get to choose what i wanna write about ;)
dotmom: she's either a darling or the queen of tantrums :(
yeah, that's a tradition Pup started. During another tantrum episode, she complained that my "C" was not like daddy's "C"...!??!! She does have a wicked sense of humor :)

rantravereflect/ jane said...

:) all the bawling and cryin! my god, i guess it must be difficult being a mother!

kids really love changing colorz fast- this other time, i saw a kid smiling at her monny, and one look at my face- she was as grumpy as grumpy cud get..