Why didn't you tell me????

I have to admit, I'm not a big reader of parenting books. I probably should be.

Don't get me wrong...I'm not an expert on parenting by any means. If you've met my children you would know exactly what I mean. And it's truly chaos times three in my house sometimes.

I just don't really enjoy reading books where the words seem to run together. Because it's boring...

However, I absolutely LOVE to read.

I can't wait to get a brand new book and smell the brand new pages, running my fingers over the smooth, new pages. Yes, it could actually be called a sickness (kinda like my obsession with smelling play-doh...but that's a whole other post).

For my birthday I asked for a Kindle, only because I saw how much cheaper some books are by purchasing them through it.

My first buy has been a book called 1-2-3 Magic for Christian Parents. And I have to admit it has really changed the dynamic of discipline in my house.

Well, for two out of three of my children.

My boys have really adapted to this new technique. They hate it. You can tell that by the groans they both let loose after I say "That's one."

Excellent.

However, my most stubborn child happens to be my daughter (and I promise she didn't get it from me...I still have my stubbornness :)

Which doesn't go well with her smart-ass personality.

Most of the time she's a pretty easy going little girl, happy to do the right thing. But since she could walk and talk, she has been so picky about what she wears. And half the time she puts together some VERY interesting outfits. She has the most creative mind...

But some times a mom just wants to pick the outfit out and GO.

This morning was one of those times. She had a dentist appointment at 10:30 and because it was Saturday I wanted to stay in bed a little longer...it's cold when out from under my warm, comfy covers!!

So I had a late start to my day...by the time I got up it was rush, rush, rush to get out the door and to the dentist on time. I ran upstairs and grabbed a dress that I think is quite adorable but she hasn't worn yet.

Due to the fact that she hates it.

Which I knew.

And of course I pick this morning of all mornings to wage my battle. Because I can be quite brilliant sometimes@@

This is how the first part of our discussion about the dress went:

Me: Avery, can you please get dressed. We need to leave very soon.
Avery: Sure mom :::she walks over to the couch::: Noooooo!! I HATE this dress. I don't want to wear it!!!
Me: You're wearing the dress. You'll look adorable.
Avery: No I won't!!! I am not wearing this dress!!!
Me: Yes, you are. Now put the dress on. I'm going to start counting you and if I get to three you will not be allowed to play "Just Dance" later on this evening. That's ONE.
Avery: :::unintelligible whining and crying:::
Me: That's TWO.
Avery: :::more unintelligible whining and crying::: then "Nooooo!! I won't wear it"""
Me: That's THREE. You will now deal with the consequences of your attitude, and won't play your game.
Avery: Waaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!!!

So you can see we made zero progress. Avery is still not dressed, and I'm trying to get ready and deal with her stubbornness all at the same time.

So I leave the room to finish my hair and get dressed. I told her to put her dress on while I was gone because I didn't want to count her again.

I come back out and see she is on the couch, pouting and NOT DRESSED.

The second part of this discussion began:
Me: Get dressed please (said in a very terse voice...I'm hanging on by a thread at this point about to L-O-S-E I-T)
Avery: How come YOU get to wear jeans? Everyone on this house gets to wear jeans except ME!
Me: That's ONE. If I get to three you will have another consequence, this one being you do not get to go outside for the rest of the day (inwardly I'm of course yelling at myself "WHAT THE HECK DID YOU SAY THAT FOR?!?@@)
Avery: I wish I were a boy. Then I could wear jeans...all the boys in our house get to wear jeans, and you even get to wear jeans!!!! NOT FAIR!
Me: That's TWO (voice cracking because I just want to scream right back at her)
Avery: :::unintelligible whining and crying:::
Me: That's THREE. You will not be allowed to play outside today. And I had a fun day planned for us to go the the Disney resort,
Avery: :::interrupting me::: What's the Disney resort?
Me: the hotel my friend's dad is staying at with a heated pool, and big slide.

---Really? I had to tell her this WHY? Because I'm an idiot, and wanted to hear her be upset A-L-L-D-A-Y-L-O-N-G about what she missed out on. That's why.---

Avery: What??????? :::more unintelligible whining and crying:::
Me: If you don't get dressed I'm going to hold you down and force the clothes on you.
Avery: Fine!!!!! Why didn't you tell me what I was going to not get to do????? Waaahhhh!

Thank God she put her clothes on at this point.

I only had to cut two tags out of the dress before we walked out the door.

So we hit the dentist (where, by the way, she was told THREE different times how freaking cute she looked!), the SAMS, and then the grocery store that is doing double-coupons this week.

I'm not sure what set her off but something did. And she cried.

ALL.THE.WAY.THROUGH.THE.STORE.

Avery: I wish I could take off this dress!
Me: So take it off.
Avery: NO!!!! Then I would be naked!!!

We seriously talked about the dress the entire time we were there. Which wasn't long but enough to make me plaster on a fake smile long enough to make my face hurt.

Then at the end of the trip she asked me again "Why didn't you tell me?"

In my head, it made perfect sense to not tell her she would be missing out on something big. Because why should it matter? She should behave because she should behave.

Not because her behaving depends on how great her day may or may not be.

And then I thought about it a little longer.

She really isn't a little adult. She's a little girl. Her reasoning isn't the same as mine.

And I could have saved myself the headache I have now, plus allowed her to have a really fun day AND get the dress on her a lot quicker if I would have just bribed her stubborn little butt with that important information.

Even with this awesome book at my fingertips I'm still screwing this whole parenting thing up.

:::unintelligible whining and crying:::

Is it possible that my five year old daughter is smarter than me??

Next time I'll be sure to tell you, sweetheart.