Setup - You were in the garage riding your bike while Daddy was washing the car and I called you in for dinner. You told me you weren't hungry. Somehow I convinced you to come in the house but you were still telling me that you weren't hungry. I sat you down in front of the fireplace (you had been laying on the hearth being dramatic).
MAMA: Emily, right now is dinner time. I have everything ready for you to eat. If you choose not to eat right now then you are choosing not to eat at all tonight. That means, when you come inside again you can't say you're hungry and eat, when you are taking a bath you can't say you're hungry and eat, when you are reading stories you can't say you're hungry and eat. This is it.
EMILY: (interrupting) Mama...
MAMA: (still talking) Right now is when you need to eat or else your tummy is going to be really hungry when you go to bed.
EMILY: Mama, I have a question. (hand out in front of you, looking at your reflection in the fireplace glass doors) I am just going to go out and help Daddy and ride my bike. When I am hungry I will come in and eat my dinner (lots of head movement to add drama as you watch your reflection). I am going to go out and help Daddy and ride my bike and then I will come inside and tell you that I am hungry and that is when I will eat my dinner.
MAMA: (interrupting) Emily...
EMILY: (putting your hand up to signal that I needed to stop speaking) Mama, I am telling you that I am going to help Daddy and then come in and eat dinner. That is my choice.
MAMA: No, Emily. If you go back outside then you are choosing not to eat dinner tonight. (I know that you will try to tell us you are hungry later and I want it to be CRYSTAL clear what not eating right now means for you.)
EMILY: But Mama, I already gave you my good idea. Wasn't that a good idea? (shoulder shrug, big smile, watching reflection)
Silence as you get up and start to walk past me toward the garage. You pause and bend down to gently give me a kiss on the forehead, still watching yourself in the glass. You tiptoe away while watching me to see when I will stop you. I have to stifle my laughter at how funny you are being and how dramatic you have been during our exchange. You continue to tell me that you have shared your good idea and made your choice. I follow you out to the garage and tell Daddy the choice that you are making. I want everyone to be on the same page. Daddy says that he is actually done outside and is coming in.
Right now you are eating dinner.
No comments:
Post a Comment