Monday, June 9, 2008

Parenting Is HARD Work

Who would have thought that someone as cute as Shorty McShort could be so mean to other humans.I mean, just look at the cute face, the smile, those eyes. Yeah, they're deceiving as all get out. I mean, I feel like Mr. Tall Man and I are good parents. We try to set limits, treat her fairly and then this...

It's not like we've not been through this before.

We have....

We left her previous daycare over this issue....

She's not a dog....

So why, oh why does she insist on acting like one then? Why does she insist on biting others? She isn't hungry. I know that for a fact. She eats quite well. We don't bite her and neither do other children (even though it's clearly her turn to get a nip from a nice set of pearly whites). So why does she insist on biting others?

Today at daycare she was frustrated with another little girl, which we'll just refer to as Miss Arch Nemesis from this point on. So, she decided to bite little Miss Arch Nemesis in the shoulder, leaving quite a purple mark...yeah....Shorty McShort did a full on major bite...call the victim's mom type of bite....thankfully didn't break the skin (as far as I know), but left quite a bruise bite.

I'm not sure how to handle this. I want to just bite her as hard as I can, but know that isn't the right thing to do. I do have to say though that I am praying that Miss Arch Nemesis will just bite her tomorrow. REALLY HARD. Hard enough that she never bites another human again.

We had a serious talk with her and decided that she would have to go to bed tonight without any stories. (don't judge, it may seem soft, but she LOVE LOVE LOVES books!!) She sobbed and then fake cried. I don't think she actually thought we were serious. I'm not sure what else to do, except hope for the best and be thankful that she has only 4 more days of daycare until the end of August when I'm back at work.

I think we also need to consider a nice gift for her ever forgiving day care provider.

Advice anyone?

4 comments:

Liane said...

Keep talking! I promise she won't still be biting in middle school =-)

Anonymous said...

Oh man, that's a hard one. My two year old won't stop spitting and yelling like a dinosaur at other kids. I wish he'd stop but realize that it could be a lot worse. As far as advice, I don't have any personal experience with this one but I do know that children need to know that you are 100% serious about any type of punishments you dole out. Even if you back off one time they'll remember it and keep pushing it even more. Always follow through with what you say the consequences are. That's my little two cents.

Anonymous said...

Does "Mcshorty" have any remorse? Empathy about what "Miss Arch Nemesis" must feel? Can you teach Mcshorty to ask the daycare provider to help her problem solve appropriately? Think Kelso's wheel...in preschool terms.
Katie

Lori said...

ugh, no fun! I'm sorry Janelle! I don't really have anything to add, since we haven't gone through this (yet)...