Temper Tantrum

Ane watches too much TV. Tad, not so much, because if he’s not interested in whatever’s on, he’ll just leave the room. But Ane is the kind of kid who prefers the TV be on, even if it’s just for background noise. When she was really little, she used to turn it on herself, but we stopped that straightaway. We listen to a lot of CD’s around here, which is good for Tad, but that’s another post for another day.

Last night, Ane wanted to watch a movie. We told her no. I had actually just turned the TV on to a replay of a Mariners game from last season (“I’m assuming we won this one?” the Webmaster asked. “I think they only replay ones that we won,” I told him). I’m suffering from baseball withdrawl.

Ane pitched a fit. Lying down on the floor flat on her back, tears streaming out of her eyes, she hollered and cried, “NOOOO, I don’t WAAAANT to watch baseball!! I WAAAANT to watch a MOOOOVIE!!”

It’s amazing how that child can elongate her vowels when she’s having a tantrum.

Steam was starting to rise off the Webmaster’s head, and Tad was gamely watching his sister’s performance (and the baseball game – he likes watching most sports), and I had had enough of her whining and wailing.

So I decided to show her how it should REALLY be done. I laid down on the floor right next to her and started yelling myself. “NOOOO, I wanna watch a MOOOVIE! I don’t WAAAANT to watch baseball! PLEEEESE can I watch a MOOOOVIE?”

Tad started giggling. Ane stopped mid-howl, sat up and began to laugh as I carried on. “I want a MOOOOVIE!” I continued on.

Ane wiped her eyes and came over to me. She patted me on the head. “I’m sorry, but you can’t watch a movie tonight,” she informed me in a completely rational tone. “It’s already 7:00.” (It was really 8:30.) “Maybe you can watch a movie tomorrow if you behave.”

I decided to keep it up for a little while longer – besides, the Webmaster was cracking up. “But I WAAANT to watch a MOOOVIE NOOOOW!”

“I’m sorry, but the answer is no,” my daughter informed me, giggling at my performance.

Later, as I was getting Tad’s pajamas on him, Ane poked her head into his room. “Mommy! Mommy!”

“Yes?”

“Do me again!” she giggled.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 12th, 2008 at 1:49 am and is filed under Children.
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