Little Bunny Foo-Foo

I've recently seen the different personalities of my 3 and 4 year olds come out. A few weeks ago the girls were doing a great job of playing together-a few fights, but no major drama. As I was probably cleaning something up, I heard a rhythmic rocking sound. Knowing that we don't have a rocking horse I went into the room to investigate. There was lots of laughing involved too. I walked in on them jumping on one of their beds. These beds are not spring beds, but "cheapo plywood on the bottom and that's it beds." So I told them to stop and went about my business. Not five minutes later I hear the sound again. Angry this time, I went in there and told them to stop and if they didn't they would get a spanking.

Thinking that would resolve it, because it usually does, I left again. 2 minutes later I heard the same sound... So I RAN in there this time, seething. (I fear what my face must have looked like). My four year old, Eliza said, "I'm sorry, mommy, I'm sorry mommy..." I said, "Sorry is too late," and I grabbed her and swatted her on the bum. She said, "That didn't hurt." I set her on her bed and grabbed the three year old, Psalter, nailing her (I knew this by her wail)on the back of her leg. Then I went back to Eliza and spanked her again--this time she cried.

So angry, I had to leave the room and I told them they had to sit on their beds in "time out" too. They were both wailing for a while. When they finally stopped I went in to talk with them. I asked the Eliza, "why did I have to spank you?" She wailed out, "I said I was sorry." Then I asked the Psalter the same question and she responded with a shrug and "I don't know." So I explained to them that I spanked them because they disobeyed me THREE times when I asked them to stop jumping on their bed. After my reasoning, Eliza is still distraught from being called out and punished, Psalter looks up at me, with a glint in her eye and matter-of-factly tells me, "Mommy, I was being little bunny foo-foo." Like, there's nothing wrong with that and what's the big deal, mommy.

I had to hide my face in my shirt as I laughed. Eliza was so distraught over getting in trouble, our rules-keeper and my free-spirited child was only upset because the spanking hurt, she did not know why she got a spanking or time out, that was just an inconvenience. In her mind, playing little bunny foo-foo on her bed made perfect sense.

Oh what a joy to have 2 such different and beautiful personalities! Oh Lord, give us the strength and wisdom to discipline and train up each one according to what would be emotionally and spiritually healthy for them.