I hear Layla doing her whiney wake up, which indicates a bad morning, but I put on my happy face and prepare to bite the inside of my lip while I attempt to fake happy her out of it. So I open the door.
And am bum rushed by the craziest thing I've ever seen. A demon, no bigger than my waist, eyes a blazing, white girl hair standing on end, making noises that I KNOW weren't human, came gunning at me with her hand cocked back and hits me.
Fortunately I did some quick thinking and managed a auction caller speed "Layla, if you hit me, I'm gonna spank your bottom".
I used to say that I would never hit for hitting. You know, I wouldn't spank a kid to teach them that hitting was not okay. And then I had Layla, as a toddler.
So she landed her blow, was spun around and spanked, all in about .5 seconds. And now she is sitting in her room until she works through this and we can start this day all over again. If she's ready to do that by noon, great. If not, it's going to be one long day in her room for her. And one peaceful day out here for me.
It's days like that when I really wish I had a bigger house, so I could put the demon child in her room, put the gate up, and not hear her yelling.
ReplyDeleteI find myself torn on the hitting thing too. On one hand I believe that hitting her for hitting me teaches her that hitting is OK...and on the other hand, I don't think she realizes how much it hurts when someone hits you and she needs to learn that lesson. The cat doesn't tolerate her shit and the occasional swat or scratch keeps her in line.
So yes, I'm taking parenting cues from my cat now. Reading your blog brings me to some interesting realizations.
I'm happy to facilitate your finding your truth.
ReplyDeleteEven if it means your going to start carrying your child around by the back of her neck.
I won't tell.