New Developmental Milestone

Recently, Quynh has been a bit extra-emotional and more prone to tantrums that usual.  Last week we had a horrible drawn-out, tear-filled drop-off at preschool that all started over a picture she asked me to draw her before I left for work.  Prior to that, we had this nice little ritual where I'd outline a silly picture on paper before I left and she'd happily color it in and show it to me at the end of the day.

But last week that all fell apart when the picture I drew was Not.Quite.Right. so she ripped it up and asked me to start over.  And when I refused she flipped out.  For 20 minutes.  So I vowed not to draw her pictures at school anymore if it's going to cause drama.

This morning I brought her into school, said hello to her teacher and friends, and hugged her goodbye.  As I went to leave she said, "I want you to draw me a picture."

No way was I falling for that game again. Nuh-uh.  No sir.  So I calmly said, "No, I don't do that anymore because it can make you upset."  (And inside I was thinking, "Oh, no, here it comes, she's going to scream and I have to get to work......what do I do?")

But instead of screaming she looked at me with just a hint of malice in her eyes explained, "If you don't draw me a picture I'm just going to start throwing a tantrum."

Wow.  What a complete and total understanding of power and threats.  Any sympathy I might have had for her if she had started to cry vanished the moment she verbalized her intentions.  So I called her on it.  I said, "Threats won't work with me. "  And I turned around and left.  

And I didn't hear a peep out of her.