.
You hear feedback that she is rude and stubborn, but while you do kinda know it’s the truth, you don’t think much of it because she thinks of you as the fave human being, and would listen to you at least. So that, if she does keep this up while she grows, at least she would still listen to you when she gets out of line and you can guide her back on track….
Something akin to a guard dog who would bark and bite anyone but would like down exposing his belly to you*, ‘cos he thinks the world of you.
* If you know dog behaviour, you know that dogs show you their belly because they “submit” to you by showing you their most vulnerable side.
…. Sorry, this is the closest analogy I can think of for now.
Anyway, over the weekend I dug out my old camera again for Caitlin to fool around. Since I haven’t been taking many pics of Caleb I thought I’d do that. So we were taking pics of him etc.
Then for some reason, Caitlin decided to do a trade. From the first day I allowed her to use the old camera I had told her that she would stick to that one, and I would be using “mine”. But that day, she insisted that we swapped. I said “no”. Like a Bugs Bunny / Daffy Duck dialog, we were going yes/no a good few times, each time she was reaching for my camera, and each time I was getting more stern.
Then she got hold of my camera’s strap, and hung on to it.
We actually got into a short tug-of-war. She actually wouldn’t budge, and was actually “fighting” with Daddee.
That was the first time Daddee had experienced first hand the defiance exhibited by Caitlin. I gotta say I am actually still feeling rather sad and disappointed with her behaviour, even after 2 days now.
I think I am because I thought I was “held higher” in her eyes, that I was her best friend, had a higher standing or status in her world. The fact that she would declare “No” to me this defiantly (of course she’s said “no” before to “smaller” things like “No, I don’t wanna go brush my teeth / can you wash away the tooth paste first”) was something that surprised and quickly disappointed me.
Perhaps she has inherited some of Hot Mummee’s characteristically fierce independence- the I don’t fear anyone nor hold anyone in that high a regard, doesn’t matter if it’s Daddee, I want means I WANT.
Sigh…
I know she trusts me more than she trusts her Mummee, in that she knows I have less of a temper. But to know that she was pushing it with me was quite disappointing. Maybe she already knows that she is also my fave human on earth, and that she knows the concept of spoiling, that I would (have been?) spoil her and give in…
Anyway, I didn’t, nor would I- It’s not a cheap camera!
So anyway, here are the products of the day’s “shooting”. Enjoy!
I took these three shots…
And Caitlin took this one, being the “best” of the lot!
I guess to a certain extent kid always test their boundaries…and maybe coz it is you, she thinks she can ‘negotiate’ a little bit longer!
Reckon you can be her best friend with boundaries attached no? At least she knows what to expect with daddee and can ‘live’ within your expectations!
Anns last blog post..Sleeping arrangements
Daddee you’re tired and as Ann said, Caitlin is testing her boundaries as all threenagers do. I’m surprised you’ve got away without the dispalys of sheer defiance for this long!
Rest for you, and consistency and boundaries for your little miss will do the trick. Most of the time. Like you said, you can be proud of the fact that you are raising a determined and not a subservient female leader of the future
hissychicks last blog post..Rock bottom
Awww poor man..
Yes, they will start testing your boundaries (and your patience!) now, but they like knowing there are limits/boundaries, makes em feel more secure. It gets “worse” the older they get HAHA
haha@hissychick’s comment reg: the determined female.
Lias last blog post..Perfect weather.
I guess this shock had more to do with her directly defying me, rather than the expected / experienced indirect defiance; of other people and of my requests for less important things, like greeting people when we arrive at their abodes, “calling” when we are about to start our meals (it’s a Confucian teaching), literally dragging her feet when it’s time to brush her teeth…
This was a direct defiance against me, and “fighting” me.
Ah, she is but a growing child, an individual with her own sense of desire, imagination and achieving her goal.
Seems like you’ve had it “easy” all these while. Many of us “battle” with our children everyday. Hahaha…
p/s- love the shots, especially the first one!
Moomykins last blog post..Well, I…Zzzzz