Positively

So clearly I have been pushing Princess away lately. Josh voiced concern and the stinker is usually right. So. Lately every. Thing. I say. has been met with defiance, sneakery, and/or lies and I just got TIRED. I took off my therapeutic parent hat. If it were up to me, honestly, my favored method of discipline would be Crush With Cutting but Witty Sarcasm Until Said Child Withers Into a Compliant Mass of Gel. Sadly, this method has been historically documented to work with exactly no one. Time to put on the big-girl panties.

When I'm doing something wrong, the easiest thing to do is exactly the opposite. I decided to praise absolutely everything she did right. You'd be surprised how much there is when you start looking.

"Princess! You got dressed! Without me asking! Way to go!"

"Your hair looks nice this morning. I can tell you combed it and used conditioner."

"Woah! I've given you two directions so far and you did them BOTH without complaining! That must feel good."

"Check it out! I told you to get pants and underwear (for the extra clothing you used at school today- why? Why did you do that?) and you got a skirt and underwear! You followed part of my directions! That's great! Now you get to follow the rest of them!"

Plus, every time I praised her I got down and gave her a hug and a kiss. I want to be giving her ten hugs a day. I am highly embarrassed to say I struggle with my goal of five. Most days I hardly make three. It's stubborness on my part. Even though no one enjoys hugging a catus, sometimes cacti need hugs too, you know?

And, miracle of miracles, we had a pleasant evening. With a bedtime tantrum. But I read Eency Weency Spider in my best toddler-mommy voice and prayed Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep and did my best to snuggle with a writing mass of clawing kicking entirely covered up by a comforter daughter. I'm not even sure what end of her body I was snuggling.

But feet need snuggles, too.