This morning, while I was out running, Allia awoke and scratched a bug bite on her leg until it bled. Then, she alerted her father to the problem and made a BIG fuss about it.
When I got home I offered her a Dora Band-Aid in an attempt to make her happy. She said no, so I started to put the Band-Aids away. Then she cried because I was putting them away so I took one out again and offered to put it on her owie. She cried that she did not want it. So, once again I started to put them away and she reacted like I was being mean to her. (Unfortunately, this is not an unusual occurrence……..happens all the time.) Her father came in and distracted her for a moment and I whisked the Band-Aids out of site.
Then, I went into her room and chose an outfit for her to wear to school. When I came back, she cried and complained that she hated my outfit. The mere sight of it was paining her. Her father informed me that she had already chosen a shirt and held it up. I said “oh, OK.” and started back into the bedroom to return the outfit I had just pulled out of the drawer. When she realized what I was doing she complained even harder, now she appeared to want the new outfit, but I would have none of it. I just went back to her room and put it away and found the pants to match the already chosen top and I put her in it as she wailed and cried that she wanted the other outfit, the other one, the one I just put away.
Other days we have similar struggles with picking a food to eat or a particular color of cup for her milk. Some days, it seems that she is never happy, no matter how hard we try to give her limited choices and make simple accommodations. I know this is typical behavior for an almost three year old, but it can sure wear out her parents.
I think back to when Malcolm and Zoe were small and don’t remember all this rigmarole. I think it is totally possible that I never gave them a choice so they didn’t know the difference. Maybe I am softer in my old age? Maybe I was just smarter back then.
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