Wednesday, May 11, 2011

The Contrary Miss Cameron

We have hit the wonderful stage of contrariness from Cameron. Give her options for what to wear, what to eat and what to do? She wants none of them!

Ask her if she wants milk she whines, "No milk!" emphatically. Say, "OK, no milk, do you want juice instead?" "No, juice! Milk! Milk! Miiiiiilk!!"

Picture that exact conversation with different nouns occurring at least a dozen times a day. DH and I can't help but laugh at it because it's so crazy she changes her mind a second later. We are working to give Cameron choices which has helped to lessen some of the battles but they still happen on a different level.

The new weapon in my arsenal? This statement: "Well, Mommy has XYZ, so do you want it too?" That's right, Cameron has decided she wants to be just like me in every way possible. I have my hair in a ponytail? She must have it also (although she rips it out a minute later).

Walking into school this morning I noticed the sleeve of her too big rain coat was not rolled up. I went to roll it up and she said, "No, mommy!" I left it alone but told her, "Mommy has her sleeves rolled up, see?" and pointed to my own too big rain coat. 5 seconds later Cameron tugs on my hand and says, "Sleeve, Mommy, sleeve!"

So this is how I now win my battles with Cameron. I just have to do whatever I want her to do and she'll do it too. I wonder how long until that backfires on me? Perhaps when she wants to start drinking out of my wine glass?

1 comment:

Stephanie said...

Welcome to my world! Still trying to figure how to "win" this stage. I usually just go back around to the choice that I know he's going to make. For example, I say "do you want milk - no, do you want juice, no, do you want milk - yes".

If he doesn't want to do something (like leave the house or eat dinner), we just start or get ready without him. He quickly changes his tune. OR we have days like Sunday, where I carry him out "fireman" style while he's kicking and screaming.

It's VERY funny, I'll admit, but also frustrating.