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Thursday, June 18, 2009

We are wicked, evil parents.

(Natalie being tortured with fruit.)

Natalie refuses to eat fruit. Ugh. No juice. No apples. No grapes. No watermelon. No strawberries. No fruit. End of story. In some ways I think that she's become accustomed to not eating the fruit and since we don't hassle her about it, has formed it in her mind that fruit is entirely bad...even if it does taste good. At this point, she'd rather take a beating than to eat fruit (we are not spanking parents, there are other ways to get the point across, btw).

Recently, she's been having some behavior issues that deal with a variety of things that we do not feel are acceptable in our home. Smacking siblings when she thinks they need smacked. Digging nails into younger siblings legs (or arms) who get on her nerves. Hitting older brother when he looks at her the wrong way. We've discussed this behavior for weeks and I figure that it's happening because being nine and a half, she feels she has the right to strong arm those who are weaker than she (altho brother is not weaker, but he doesn't hit her back...he should!). ::sigh:: It's a behavior I have told her that we do not like and will NOT tolerate.

Today Nicole comes running into my studio while I'm torching (this isn't something they're allowed to do typically as it throws off my concentration, hello!!?). She was visibly upset. I ask why. She says that Natalie smacked her on the back twice. (evidence shown) Natalie comes in. Stands there just looking at me. Ugh. I ask why?! She said that she deserved it. I say that whether she deserved it or not was no reason to hit her. All she had to do was come and tell me and I'd take care of whatever it was... (which, it turned out to be nothing...Nicole just wanted to get into the baby pool and Nat didn't want her in the baby pool so she smacked her. Nice.)

So, I look at Natalie and say to have Dad give her a spanking or she could eat fruit. (look of utter horror appears on her face, for both things I think, a spanking AND fruit) I said, "which would you rather have? a spanking or eating fruit?" She picks the spanking. (I was completely shocked) But, by the time she gets downstairs and realizes the inevitable, she decides against the spare the rod bit and goes for the fruit (smart girl!).

However, after being given a beautifully shaped piece of watermelon that was so fresh you could smell it from across the room... she begins to do the "throwing up" motion with her mouth. We quickly put a stop to that, saying that she'd just have to eat more watermelon. Oh Lord. You'd have thought we were literally torturing this child. Beating her with whips and chains. Good grief, the carrying on, it was ridiculous... crying until her face was red, eyes blood shot. ::sigh:: So, bite after agonizing bite we sat and watched with humor, watermelon juice dripping from her mouth as if it were poison about to burn the skin off her chin, she continues with her "punishment" until she finally completes half of the watermelon slab. I didn't make her eat the entire thing because after she figured out that we weren't going to give in, she finishes the job without incident.

When she's done she says that she thinks she's going to be sick. I told her that half of the watermelon still remained and we could always cut off more. She straightened up and decided she wasn't going to be sick after all. See? I told you she was smart.

So see? we're not so wicked or evil, right? I have to tell you, that this idea is not my own. My Mother came up with it and I have to say, it's the best idea ever! :) Thanks Mom! Natalie thanks you too! In the end, maybe Natalie will realize fruit is not the enemy and will enjoy it with the rest of us... but I really doubt it. LOL


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

That's one of the greatest stories I have ever read and the fact that you have a picture makes it even better. Is that your arm next to her tormenting her???

Anonymous said...

That's one of the greatest stories I have ever read and the fact that you have a picture makes it even better. Is that your arm next to her tormenting her???