Sophie update...

So, the other day I made a cheesecake for my mom to serve at a baby shower she was having for a lady in her ward. I made extra and made a little one to take to a party this weekend. Both were in the fridge setting up when Sophie came into my office and said--in an informant (aka tattle tale) voice, "Mo-om, Duke got into the fidge and scatched up the cheesecake." (Duke is our australian shepherd.) This naturally got my attention, and when I saw the ring of cheesecake smudges around her mouth, my suspicions were confirmed.

I decided to give her a chance to tell the truth, so I said, "Sophia, Duke can't open the door to the fridge, so if the cheesecake is scratched up, it must have been someone else who did it." At this point she started getting really nervous, realizing that her story wasn't panning out like she had envisioned. Then, knowing she still had one more scapegoat in the house, she blurted out, "I mean, Harry did it!" (Harry is our Yorkshire Terrier). Nice try.

I went to inspect the damage and found the "scatches" covering the entire top of the second cheesecake. Thankfully, it wasn't the one for my mom's shower. But, guess who didn't get any cheesecake for dessert?

So, in a totally unrelated story...I've had to re-employ a parenting tactic I haven't had to use since my oldest was 3. The Happy-Day Chart.

None of my other kids but the first, and now the last, have been royal fit throwers. Eliza was really bad and it took a while to figure out how to get the fits under control. Ever since we did, though, she's been a delight--so this gives me hope for Sophie.

Anyway, to make the Happy Day chart, I just make a basic calendar and every day that she doesn't have a total tantrum she gets to put a sticker on the chart at bedtime. When the chart is full--for the week and then again for the month--she gets a special whatever. Could be a toy at the dollar store (although that drives me nuts because then you end up with a house full of junky crap you then have to sort through and throw away. It's like burning money--except that it bought your kid a few minutes of whoopdie-doo). So, if I can get away with a different type of reward, I do.

Not candy (that's the reward for being good at the store, thanks to the marketing geniuses who invented the checkout line candy display). I like to do "picnic at the park with mom" or some kind of special outing. Is that wrong? To bribe your kid with...your attention...if they will just behave? I don't know. I don't really care. I just want the fits to stop. And I will be much happier to spend some 1 on 1 time with a kid who isn't a tiny terrorist.

Basically good parenting is a lot like good foreign policy. Reward good behavior, punish bad. That's one reason why I think Sarah Palin would have made a great president... "no foreign policy experience" my ass!

Or maybe I'm just biased because I really wanted to vote for the first Mother of 5 for President...so "my people" would be represented in the White House. Of course, if that's my criteria, then Angelina Jolie would be a great candidate as well...wait, doesn't Madonna have a few kids, too? And Britney Spears?

On second thought, I think I'll just stick with the experience, judgement and conservative principles criteria.