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By September 16, 2007November 12th, 2016funny ha ha, monkeys, overheard

Our children are both perfect angels. All the time.

Except sometimes they’re, um, not.

Lately, Lucy has been using some of her allotted “non-angel hours” to throw tantrums. And when I say tantrum, I don’t mean “I’m a two year old and I’m asserting my independence so I won’t let you put me in my car seat, I insist on getting in by myself” tantrums. I mean “I’m a five year old and I can hit, kick, scream, throw things with good aim and become inconsolably furious in 2.2 seconds if you dare to tell me that ‘no’ we’re not going to get the display Barbie cake at the grocery store today” tantrums.

They’re way fun. We all love em. Including her.

So this morning in the aftermath of one that arose when Zoe took the Tinkertoy piece that Lucy was using, Lucy and I were snuggling in my bed, talking it over.

Me: “I know it feels bad inside when you get all stormy.”

Lucy: “Yeah. It does.”

Me: “And I want to help you get through it more easily when it happens. Only I’m not sure what to do besides hug you and kiss you (her suggestion from a few days ago — didn’t work this morning). Can you tell me what else you’d like me to do or say when you have a tantrum?”

Lucy: “I don’t know.”

Me: “I don’t either. But I really want to help you feel better when you’re feeling stormy. Isn’t there anything you can think of that might help?”

Lucy (thinks for a minute): “Oh! I know! You could give me a new toy.”

<pause>

“Or a piñata!”

<pause>

“Or a new Mr. Potato Head!”

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