A warning to all of those who have the potential to be as stupid as me: Go read “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie…” I know you, like me, probably read this when you were 6, but there are some seriously good parenting lessons in there. Lessons about how if you do something nice for your kids, even once, it will come back and bite you in the ass! Like that one time (okay, maybe 8 or 10 times) I gave Goober my phone to play on while I was grocery shopping or in line at the bank or something where I just wanted THE WHINING TO STOP. That one time (or 6 or 12 times) was enough for the power of the screen to hook its claws into my sweet toddler and turn him into something unrecognizable. Now everyday I have to listen to, “Momma, can I play on your phone?” “Mom, can I have your phone?” “Mommy, I want your phone!!!!!” And when I say no, over and over and over, the world as we know it comes to an end. We’re talking full on tantrum, complete with wailing, garment rending, and dramatic collapsing onto the floor. All for the cruel denial of his precious virtual dinosaur puzzle. I’m mean like that.
This particular lesson smacked me in the face again this morning. A little background- during the summer, I like to stop occasionally at QuikTrip for a soda. They’re always on sale over the summer and sometimes you just need some therapy in the form of fountain Diet Dr. Pepper. This summer, however, Goober has an awareness that Momma is getting something and he wants some. Since he’s not allowed to have soda, I got into the BAD habit of buying him the kid sized slushy anytime he was with me and I stopped. I tried to explain to him that this was a “special treat,” that we only get “sometimes.” I’m pretty sure what he heard was “delicious sugar that you are entitled to on demand!” I tried to space out such treats, but it didn’t help that he started petitioning the grandparents to take him on his days with them. Kid is smart!
All of this leads us to this morning, when we were on our way to my dad’s house (he baby-sits Goober on Tuesdays.) We pass a gas station and the following conversation commences.
“Momma, look, a gas station! I need a special drink!”
“No buddy, we’re not stopping this morning.”
“But I NEED a special drink!!”
“Not today, we don’t need to spend money on that.”
“MOMMY. I NEEEEEED A SPECIAL DRINK!”
{Insert futile attempt to explain the difference between need and want to a 2-yr old. I know, I know!}
“But Mommy, I need it.”
“No buddy, you want it.”
“Mommy, I want a special drink!!!”
“Goober, we are not stopping, and that’s the end of the story!”
“NO MOMMA, I WANT A SPECIAL DRINK! THAT IS NOT THE END OF THE STORY!!”
“Oh yeah? What’s the end of the story then?”
“I DON’T KNOW! I CAN’T READ!“