Little Miss Shenanigan it IS!

My sister called her that. It's fitting. ESPECIALLY today!

It didn't take long for her to be in no-talking mode, though she did work quickly to be at breakfast. Half-way through breakfast the drama started and it dawned on me that this whiny, fussy, crabbiness is all very much staged and calculated and planned.

She does this.

To have control is the point.

And right now to be in control of how she relates to us is very much her "THING" right now.

Let me tell you, it's HARD to be her mom right now.

She is in a stand-off and has been all week, and I just recognized it!!

She's been benched. I gave her clear choices and she made bad ones. I'm in this for the long haul. She wants a fight and I'm putting her in a position where there is nothing and no one to fight except herself for however long it takes. She's on the bench but could be moved out of sight if she chooses to make a scene. She's been there half an hour and is bored almost to tears already.

I'm praying for grace and strength to hold out and do the right thing.

There's another thing.

And it's about James.

He took care of the rabbits just fine while the girls were gone this summer. I taught him how, followed up with him. Repeated the teaching until he was doing just fine. Recently we have been finding that the rabbits either have no water, or are not fed or both. We send him out. We remind him. We question him on it, and then when he comes back we go and check and he has still NOT done the whole job.

At first I thought he was forgetting.

Or was in a hurry.

Or something.

TODAY it was clear - this is ALL A GAME.

He's benched too.

Can you tell I'm tired of stupid mind games?

 Today I'm making it clear. Either start cooperating or be ready for the battle.