July 20, 2009

We're Bringing Sassy Back

Forget the "terrible two's." I've said all along two wasn't that bad... it's three that's a real killer. I can handle the tantrums. Those are usually finished within a few minutes. It's the "sassing" I can't stand.
When did my little angels learn to be demon-children? The majority of the time they are all good listeners, but the second "sass" comes into the picture... watch out.
Some of the conversations I've had lately include:
  • "I don't want to clean up. I'm too tired."
  • "You're not my best friend any more." (generally directed at me when I explain there is no such thing as being too tired to clean up your toys)
  • "I don't want to go to bed" (followed by a foot stomp)
  • "I'm going to throw this toy across the room" (thanks for the warning)
  • "I'm going to cry really loud and wake up all the babies" (I used the "babies" in the neighborhood as a reason for why we need to use inside voices... you'll wake up the babies if you're too loud)
I read a recent parenting article in which the author talked about the "toy fairy." When her son wouldn't clean up, she told him the toy fairy would come when he was asleep and take away his toys for a week. I tried that with my girls and was told "That's OK, mommy. We have a lot of toys so we don't need them all." Sassy.
For those of you who have been there, done that and told me a "magical switch" is flipped and my angels will permanently return at age four... I've started the countdown and I will come find you if that doesn't happen.


10 comments:

Nicole said...

lol - very cute! not so much to you though, i'm sure.

i gotta break it to you though - once they're in school & out of the beautiful little bubble we make for them at home (you know - perfect manners, politically correct words & phrases, kindness & no violence, etc. etc.) you'll have to deal with the influence of 'other people's kids' whose bubbles may not have been so well insulated!

3 year old 'sass' will upgrade to:
'so&so's allowed to - why can't i?'
'that's not fair!'
'you're so MEAN!'
'so i can NEVER eat oreo cookies in my whole life?!!'
'i wish i had a different mommy & daddy!'
and of course - brace yourself now...
'i hate you!'

but fear not - i still have hope that gentle reminders along with occassional consequences & relentless consistency on our part will ensure that they all turn out just fine! good luck!
(multiplemadness - hdydi.com)

MaryAnne said...

lol here's the current favorite from our house, wailed from time out:

"Why oh why oh why oh why?! Don't you love me, Mama?"

Only three and already pulling "you don't love me" guilt trips, I'm a little worried...

Anonymous said...

How flippin adorable! To read about, that is. Not so cute when directed at you, I'm sure. I remember my nephew around that age wailing "Mommy why do you make me so sad!" at my sister in a crowded subway station and thinking- I am soooo not having children. Can't wait to see what my girls are saving up for me in the next few years!

Quadmama said...

My girls also tell me all the time "you hurt my feelings" or "you made me sad." Some of the sass is definitely the preschool influence.

Stephanie Barr said...

I don't know who told you it would end...ever.

But, if it's any comfort, a sassy little girl is unlikely to grow up into a victim.

At least that's how I comfort myself when my teenager is giving me the lawyer treatment.

Quadmama said...

Yep, I try to comfort myself with the fact that my daughters are learning at an early age how to stand up for themselves. I'm grateful for that. I just don't know if I can take 14 more years of sass.. surely there's a break in there for a year or two.

LauraC said...

I'm glad to hear you are experiencing sass bc when I complain about 3, I don't feel quite so alone!

Quadmama said...

I've said it before and I'll say it again... whoever coined the phrase "terrible two's" hadn't had a three-year-old yet.

Jacqueline Miller said...

I'm right with you, counting down the days until 4. I keep hearing, "FINE. I won't play with you anymore then!" Sass city over here too.

Quadmama said...

Our latest one is "you're not my best friend," which is pretty comparable to "I won't play with you anymore."

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