Ane Speaks – Choices

We bought our minivan when Tad was just shy of a year old, so we’ve never had an infant car seat in there before. Since the minivan is our primary family vehicle, that’s obviously where it’s going to be. Since Tad still rides in a 5-point harness car seat (not that he truly needs it, but it sure does strap him down – he does ride in a booster when needing to travel in other cars) which we don’t plan on removing anytime soon, Ane will be moving (in her booster) to the back seat. Permanently. Rerun will then have her spot, which is right by a door.

This was not welcome news to Ane. It’s one thing to sit there when we’re taking other kids places with us, and she has a friend to chat or play with. It’s another thing entirely to be by yourself in the back.

She protested about this. “But why can’t the baby be back there?!?”

“Because we have to be able to get to the infant carrier, and it’s easier to do that when it is right by a door.”

“But I don’t WANT to sit back there!”

I sighed. We were in the car while this conversation was ongoing. “Ane, you have two choices. Either you can be a helper to Mommy, and sit in the backseat with a happy heart, or you can complain about it and sit in the backseat with a grumpy heart. Either way, you are moving to the backseat. It is up to YOU what YOUR attitude will be about it.”

She was tired – we were on our way home, and naps were imminent. “I don’t know which to choose!!” she wailed dramatically.

“Choose wisely,” I told her.

Ane thought about it some more. “I guess I’ll be happy about it,” she said in the world’s grumpiest voice.

I thanked her politely, and tried not to laugh out loud.

This entry was posted on Thursday, February 25th, 2010 at 1:10 am and is filed under Children, Mommyhood.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed and Both comments and pings are currently closed.