Shut Up!

We had an awesome weekend with Ella. I’m really loving age four. Maybe because I used to teach that age, so I have a pretty good handle of what makes those four year olds tick: routine, potty humor, snacks.

Birthday celebration for Loran, Valentine making, restaurant lunch, even swimming lessons – all great! I was starting to think that we’d really turned the corner with Ella. She was moving from having the brain of a psychotic toddler to a delightful child.

Then, she was getting ready for bed Sunday night. After using the potty, I was reminding her to wash her hands before brushing her teeth. I got the requisite “why?” which I explained hygiene in simple preschool terms: potty germs in your mouth. I hear this muffled little whisper that sounds like something she has never said before, but sounds like what I think it is. I innocently ask her what she said, to which I get a loud, “shut up!” complete with glaring eyes. Ohhhh….

Gotta nip this in the bud. I grabbed her little hand and marched her right upstairs. It was a classic “Do not pass go, do not collect $200” moment. As we were headed upstairs at a clipped pace, I calmly told her that those were naughty words and our family does not tell people to shut up. She was brought into her room where Loran was reading Lillian a bedtime story, and promptly scolded her upon hearing what she’d said. She was tucked in and put to bed without the usual stories and cuddling. She knew, this was serious stuff.

I don’t think she’ll be throwing the old “shut up” around. But, if we let this fly, it’s like a gateway into worse sayings. So we’re trying to lay the foundation now so when she’s a teenager we have some legs to stand on. I just didn’t think we’d be getting the teenage attitude quite yet!

Of course, punishment comes back to me. Putting her to bed so quickly resulted in forgetting to put a night diaper on her. So…I get to strip her bed this morning. However, she was all sunshine and friendliness this morning, so lesson learned!