Tension tamer

When Ladybug is tired, Ladybug doesn’t listen. So since she hasn’t been sleeping well these last few months, it goes without saying that she hasn’t been following instructions too well either.

We try to enforce the house rules but also don’t insist if it’s not worth it. I mean, who wants to have a showdown over toys not put away when she’s done?

Sure, at first I tried using timeouts. I’d tell Ladybug, “I’m going to count to three and if you haven’t started picking up, you’re going on the futon until you decide to put your things away.” But she caught on fast, counting to three on her own and then running to jump on the futon like it was a game.

Now I save my strength for the big battles, like Ladybug’s attempts to break free during our walks and run into people’s yards or – worse – the middle of the street. Nothing has worked to curb this behavior so, for now at least, we’ve banned our walks. Ladybug is confined to backyard play.

That decision came after a particularly trying outing over the weekend. We weren’t out the door five minutes before her behavior forced us to turn around and came back home. Ladybug’s uncontrollability didn’t stop then. No, she proceeded to throw everything that was within her reach. A remote on the table? Tossed on the floor. Grocery store circulars? Up in the air they went. A pile of folded laundry? Pulled from its perch into a messy pile.

My husband and I started to get aggravated. Sensing our irritability, Ladybug stopped and raised her arms in the air.

“Cute,” she said.

How can you argue with that?