Forward: I tried to post this at about 5 am but Joeueser was not cooperating, so imagine yourself with your morning coffee or whatever, bleary-eyed and just starting your day....
Sometime before 4:30 this morning, (I don't know when because I refused to open my eyes), I was awakened by the sounds of my daughter Maddy and her friend Sophia laughing. I pretended I couldn't hear the 2 year olds and tried to sleep for a few more minutes. But eventually, the laughter turned to tears and I had to get up and find out who was crying.
I tucked them in again and my daughter (of course) decided that she didn't want to go to bed. She defiantly told me, "NO" in the most bratty voice she could muster.
*My internal voice is screaming "It's 4:30 am! do you have to do this NOW?"*
I ignored her response and told her I didn't care if she sleeps but she had to lay down and be quiet. Her obnoxiousness was beginning to rub off on Sophia (who is now starting to whine again too) so I had to do something. I HATE ultimatums but there was no help for it. I gave her the consequence and dang it, she had to be obstinate. Go to bed quietly or stand in the corner. I knew she was going to choose the corner.....
*my internal voice is crying at this point, "just let me go to sleep"
So I put her in the corner and went back to bed.
In my defense, I can see the corner from my bed and I offered bed as an option after 5 min.....and 10 min.......and 15 min....
This girl is stubborn. I just want to go to sleep. But my internal voice has clocked out. I'm running on nothing here. Fortunately, that means I'm too sleepy to get really angry.
After about 30 min, she goes back to bed....and starts Sophia crying.
*sigh, now I can't sleep...my internal voice needs to vent*
Note: I gave up shortly after 5 am and just let all the kids get up. (a just-turned 2, a nearly-3, a 5 and a 6 year old) I do have to admit that getting to church by 9 am is a lot easier when you have been up since 4:30. I made oatmeal, did 2 loads of laundry, started a dress, prepped a sunday school lesson, dressed 4 kids and wrote this article....whew. Now that it's 12 hours later, I just need to clean the kitchen up, fold said laundry, finish the dress, and prep kids for tomorrow.