Just Like Dear Ol'... Mom.

Daddy was doing his best to take care of us yesterday, and in the midst of it all I think he was learning a valuable lesson on leadership of sorts. You see, when I need a break from the constant 'help' provided by my ever present, wonderfully cheerful three year old, I just ask her to find out for me what Daddy is doing. I am almost guaranteed an extensive break while she goes upstairs to find Daddy, discover what he is doing, decide he needs help, and immerses herself in a new activity or two. Yes, it is sneaky, but it works! However, I think Daddy was figuring how that works as well, and I might be in trouble.

At one point Daddy, having quite definitively told me I was supposed to sit down and not move in an effort to quite whacking my toe against things, was going to go downstairs and get me a drink so I could take some more meds. He knew that he could make the trip alone much more quickly than he could with three year old help, so he very nicely suggested that Laura sit on the bed with Mommy and wait for him to return. Her response was an immediate "No Daddy. I wan to go wif you!" He looked up at my smirk, er, smiling face and said "Sweetie, Mommy needs some company. I can go and get back more quickly for Mommy if you just stay here." I tried really hard not to laugh but you know how that goes.

Laura, never one to peacefully take no for an answer from Daddy when she wants a yes, immediately started pouring on the charm. She put a little smile on her face, quickly reassessed the situation, and very confidently said "Come on, Daddy. Let's go get a drink for Mommy!" like it was all her idea to begin with. When Daddy didn't move quickly enough to suit her because he was far to busy looking incredulously at Mommy, she took his hand in her own and then proceeded to pull, hoping to make him move towards her, thus giving his consent to her 'new idea'. He hung his head and started to quietly shake it. She took this as a good sign. She let go of his hand, walked around to the side of the chair and started to forcefully push him out of the chair, all the while saying "Come on, Daddy. Let's go!"

It was all I could do not to laugh. And I'm sure she knew it. No, I wasn't smiling at her, encouraging her disobedience. I was smiling because I saw the beginnings of her ability to motivate others to do her bidding. She was a budding leader. Supervision was in her blood. She'd have everyone under her thumb soon enough. Meanwhile, she was practicing on Daddy. Just like her Momma. LOL

I guess I need to start teaching her how to more effectively use her leadership skills before she has the boys motivated to her advantage. On the other hand...

Parenting. It definitely isn't for pansies!