the bargaining table

{she is up to something}

Yesterday morning Jeff made Violet pancakes before work, which took an inordinate amount of time and effort for a Wednesday. Violet must have been so thankful, what a lucky little girl. Is that what you were thinking because it sure was on my mind as I watched my handsome husband make breakfast for our girl. But oh no, Violet was not thankful, she was disappointed. She recalled the one and only time I ever made chocolate chip pancakes and next to those special pancakes this offering seemed pretty lame. She had the chocolate chip pancakes months ago and yet the one-time treat seems to have ruined all future regular pancake eating experiences for her. Instead of enjoying her hot breakfast she lamented the fact these pancakes weren't as good as their less healthy cousin.

I relayed this story to my dad last night and he gave me some sage advise. I am paraphrasing here but he basically said dealing with children is like dealing with a union, once you give them something it is almost impossible to get it back. I drew my own conclusions.

I thought about what he said and decided it is time to play hardball. If one-time treats cause so much future anguish I guess we'll just have to have less of them, maybe even none of them. No treats ever...

Take that Violet.

But Violet's good. She knows just how to smile and just what to say to melt my heart and before I know it I have given her another treat and relinquished more of my power to the dark side. She is crafty that one. Maybe she'll be a union leader some day. There are worse things I suppose.

xo

Em

{she has me in the palm of her hand}