Inspired By Two: Chocolate for Dinner

Life has been... dull. Well maybe not dull but more like ho hum. We go through our routines and deal with small issues as they arise.

Like the Valentine's Day candy. Nonna sent you a small bag of assorted chocolates for Valentine's Day. You were allowed to have one candy after dinner. You quickly picked up on this routine and insisted on having your chocolate with dinner. Your father and I being "good parents" insisted that you eat your dinner first and then the piece of candy. Cue the whimpers, teary eyes and quiet sobs which quickly turned into an all out tantrum. Oh we held our ground. No matter how you pleaded with your "Open it!" or "Candy, please? PLEASE?!?!" Or your high pitched whines. You refused to eat. You cried through dinner. We would model good behavior for you: "Oh Daddy's all done his dinner! He gets a candy! Hooray!" You would watch, not impressed. I tried bargaining with you: "Ok Nora, eat these three bites of chicken and those five green beans with two sips of milk and you can have your candy." I would be met with a firm "NO!"
We were poised to send you to bed with no dinner. Our good parenting thought process, "she will learn!" But in a surprising (or not so surprising twist) you won. You were given the candy with dinner.

This battle raged for awhile. Parents can't give their children candy before dinner! They have to EARN their dessert by eating healthily. So how did you win? After my umteenth NO to your pleas. You lower your head and say in the most pathetic voice: "Nora bad?" Then more forcefully, "Nora BAD!"

My heart shattered and with tears in my eyes, I turned to your father and said, "I can't take this. I'm giving her the candy." He rolled his eyes. However in another twist of parenting 101, you ate your candy and then ate your entire dinner: all the green beans, most of the chicken, milk and potatoes.

I have to remember you are not even 2 years old yet. I think sometimes we expect more out of you than what you can handle. You did not grasp the concept of earning dessert. You do not understand the difference between bad behavior and being a bad person. As I was opening the candy, you were excitedly squealing, I tried to explain that you are not bad. Sometimes we do bad behaviors but that does not mean that you are somehow less than. All you cared about was eating 1 piece of candy we promised.

You are still small and the world is a confusing place, especially when your parents are preventing you from doing something for no good reason. When your little sister comes, we are going to expect alot out of you since you are older and more capable. But I have to keep it in perspective. You are just learning about our culture and society and I need to remember that you are still my baby too.

Daddy and Jessica think you just know how to manipulate me and that you have a uncanny ability to get what you want.

But Daddy has been able to get his Lego fix lately with a new-to-us box of Lego Duplos. There have been many elaborate structures built.