The Monster and Me-A lesson in Respect.

 It has been a trying week for Monster S and I, and whoa buddy is this girl treading on thin ice lately. She has a mouth like her mama, and I worry about her too. In this very second, I'm remembering being told as a kid that "One day you'll smart off to someone bigger than you, and they'll knock your ass out." Yeah, she's my daughter for sure, because I fear she is in for it when she goes to school and blossoms with confidence. It's a slippery slope, and I find myself in a constant state of reprimand. Friends, how many times can you tell a child something before they listen?? It's a conundrum almost as nerve wracking as "How many licks to the center of a Tootsie Pop". Waiting in anticipation of something that may or may not Ever. Freaking. Happen. Monster S has a few catchphrases that I would love to make part of the "Sh*t My Kid Says" series, but alas, they are only funny because they come from one so young. For example. Monster S likes challenges. Not the "Hey Mama, I bet I can race you and WIN" kind of challenges. The kind where she and I are having a standoff and she says something smart like "Um, Mama, I guarantee you WON'T win!" in response to one of my favorite sayings, "We're going to box, and I'm gonna win."
Just yesterday Monster S got a lesson in Respect. That's a big deal in our house and S just loves anything to do with learning, so what better way to get a point across than to make her Learn From It. After she sassed her Daddy, and he tried in vain to get her to stand still and listen to him, I had to step in. I have a fierce, fiery spot in my heart for anyone who tries to step up to my man, and that includes my children. The conversation went like this:
Me: "S, get your tiny little butt over here right this second!"
S: "No, I'm not going to get in trouble. I didn't want to help Daddy, and you can't make me"
Me: "S, you will be in a lot more trouble if you don't Get. Here. Now." (I add the punctuation to give the effect of how I actually said this to her.)
S: *arms crossed, and stomping over* "Fine"
Me: "Now, who did you just refuse to help?"
S: "Daddy"
M: "And WHERE has Daddy been All Day Long?"
S: "Working"
M: "That's right. Working. And WHYYYY has Daddy been working All Day Long?"
S: "To make money." (can you tell we've had a talk similar before?)
M: "That's right to make money. Money that pays for things like: This house. The food on our table. Your clothes. My clothes. Your Birthday Party." At this, her eyes changed. It was so fast, so quick that unless you were in my shoes, you may not have seen it. It was a combination of realization and, almost, fear.
M: "Now, Daddy is working really, really hard to make money, because he loves you and wants you to have the things you want. Refusing to help your daddy is very disrespectful, considering all that he does for you.  So, What. Do. You. Need. To. Do.?"
Friends, I was very proud of my daughter in this moment. Because she turned to her daddy and apologized for not listening, and gave him a hug. And it wasn't the automated response that you expect out of a child. It was a heartfelt apology. Sometimes, you just have to be straight with your kids. They need to know. They DESERVE to know why things are the way they are. Monster S is far past capable of understanding how things work, and while I don't think it's ok to force money issues on your kids, I think she needed to understand why Husband is gone working all the time. That it's for HER. For all of us. Isn't it surprising how much our children understand?
That my friends was a Real Talk lesson in Respect, brought to you by the Monster and Me.