Defuser

Elaina’s Grandpa Lammers introduced her to Lucky Charms when they visited last month, but we’ve had to put some rules around Lucky Charms in our house (for Elaina and Grandpa).  Foremost among them is:  If you want to eat the marshmallows, you have to eat the non-marshmallows as well.

This rule is sometimes cause for unrest.

This afternoon, while having a snack of Lucky Charms, Elaina decided she’d had quite enough of the Marshmallow-Oat Equivalence Decree.  She expressed her frustration with the state of affairs by knocking the remaining non-marshmallows off her tray.

“Elaina,” I said sternly, “if you’re going to knock them on the floor or play around with them instead of eating them, snack time is done.”

Elaina, in what I can only imagine must have seemed to her an act of righteous civil disobedience on par with the American Colonists’ dumping English tea into Boston Harbor, slowly and deliberately grabbed a handful of Lucky Charms, looked me right in the eye, and tossed them over the side.

“That’s it!  You’re done,” I said and plucked her from the high chair.  I wasn’t just pretending to be stern—I was genuinely angry.  And then, Elaina wrapped her arms around my neck, gave me a big hug and a kiss on the cheek, complete with smacking sound.

If the Colonists had tried that, maybe we’d still be British citizens. 

All my anger was gone.  Elaina’s snack time was still over—I’ll have a full-scale rebellion on my hands by the time she’s four years old if she can actually get her way with a hug and a kiss—but she did effectively defuse the situation. 

I really would have thought 21 months was a little young for consciously manipulative behavior…maybe it was a coincidence….  Maybe I’d better watch out.