Friday 16 February 2007

An Oscar for the little girl in the pink tutu

Well I had to work this afternoon and Daddy had to take Caeligh to ballet class. Let me just say that girl knows who's wrapped around her finger in this house!!!! When she got there, the moment Daddy took her out of the car, she began. She didn't want to dance, didn't want to go to ballet, didn't want Daddy to go, didn't want to get down, didn't want James to wait outside for her, didn't want to talk to the teacher, didn't want to stand with the other girls, didn't want to hold Lily's hand, didn't want her princess drink bottle, didn't want to sit on the floor, didn't want to let go of Daddy and DID NOT WANT TO BE A BALLERINA!!!!!!!!!

Herein lies the differences between Doug and I in terms of parenting style. So the small child chucks a wobble at a social activity that last week she absolutely loved. Mummy's plan? Put her on the floor and leave the room. Yes, Doug, she really will get over it if she sees that nobody is interested and nobody's filling in an Oscar nomination form for her!!!!! She will quickly become distracted by said social activity and completely forget that anybody else is even there! She will get over it, she will have a good time and she will want to go back next week.

Daddy's plan? Let her cling to his leg, give her lots and lots of loving attention because she's thrown a fit, stay in the room with her while he waits (pointlessly) for her to calm down because she won't while she knows he's watching and then give up and put her in the car and bring her home. She never wants to go to ballet again.

Does anybody else have clashing parenting styles with their partner? Is just because she knows how to work the angles with Daddy and knows he will cave long before I will (that's if I cave at all?)? Does Daddy realise that he has just taught her a powerful life lesson - chuck a big enough wobble and you don't have to do anything you don't feel like doing!!!!!! Oh well, that's fine. I'll be the one to take her next week and tonight at bathtime, dinner time, teeth brushing time and let's not forget the biggie - bedtime - when she throws a hissy fit because she doesn't want to do any of those things I'll be sure to let Daddy deal with her, pillar of parental strength that he is!!! lol

2 comments:

Unknown said...

OH LU, sorry but that's so funny. I can just imagine the turn she put on. I think my hubby was a bit like that too when dd was small, the sun shone out of her ... and he just couldn't handle a tantrum. He still thinks she's daddy's little angel even though she 16 and not so sweet any more!

Sue McGettigan said...

Ha ha, yes, little girls know just how far they can push a full-grown bloke, they also KNOW they will win :)

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