I've scared her good...

Adventures in parenting: Maxine has always been prone to...fits of bad temper. They've lessened as she's gotten older but to be sure, not gone away entirely. If we're in the car and she's flown into some whining, crying, kicking fit, occasionally I'll threaten to make her walk home. I've even gone so far as to pull the car over and walk over to her side of the car to open the door like I'm going to pull her out. It's worked, but too well. Last week when she was really tired, she started crying about it, saying she couldn't stop thinking about it. Two nights ago, it happened again. When asked what was wrong, she replied,

"I can't stop thinking about when you told me I'll have to walk home! I don't even know the way home! (More sobbing) It would take so long to walk all the way home, what if it gets dark!!" My regret for ever threatening such a thing starts to sink in.

Me, "I'm sorry baby. You won't have to walk home."

"But what if you want me to walk home another time!" (More sobbing)

"I'm sorry. Mommy won't ever leave you."

"Mommy, I want you to take away this punishment for me."

"Okay."

We then said a prayer that Maxine's heart would be calmed. She was immediately soothed and fell asleep. I left her room feeling quite bad and resolved I'd never threaten to make her walk home. Woops. Sorry Maxine.

On a nicer note, we're making strawberry freezer jam today because Maxine asked, "Why don't we have strawberry jam anymore?" I said, "Because we ran out and haven't made anymore." Maxine, " Let's make some TODAY!" Thusly, today's project will be strawberry freezer jam. Yummy!

Oh yeah, one other funny thing. Maxine was reading the back of the Hidden Valley Ranch bottle at dinner and Jacky leaned over and very matter-of-factly whispered, "It's called Ranch." We all busted up laughing and that was the running dinner joke.