Meanie

I got a call from Sister K this afternoon. It was the first time I'd talked to her since my return from California last week. Naturally, she asked about the kids.

Me: Z missed me enough to be sweet for a whole week! But she is totally over it now.

K: What do you mean? What is she doing?

Me: Challenging any and all instructions. Here's an example: Yesterday she was wearing a pair of pants with a drawstring. I looked over at her and she had the ends in her mouth (I'd swear she's part goat!). I told her to take them out of her mouth. So she moved them to the very corner of her mouth, without putting them in, then looked over at me as if to dare me to say anything.

K: Wow. Can you imagine what would have happened to us if we did that? I think you are just not mean enough.

Me: She has no fear. She would rather take the consequences than do what she is told. I don't want her to flinch every time I raise my hand.

K: With Mom, it wasn't the spankings. She could just be so unpleasant that we would do anything to avoid it. So I think you are just not being mean enough.

Me: I'm totally mean! I'm so mean I scare my husband!

K: (ROTFL) Maybe you are mean enough.