Thursday, September 9, 2010

The Queen of Tattle Talia

My four year old, AKA the Precious Tomboy, has claimed a new title. She is officially the Queen of Tattle Talia. Her innate need and ability to tell on her little sister makes me wonder if her calling in life is to be hall monitor/police officer. As a parent, this presents a unique connundrum.

Con #1: It is annoying. It is incredibly annoying, and I find myself scolding her for telling on her sister.

"Daddy, the Bulldozer is looking at me and I don't like it."
"I'm sorry honey."
"She's still doing it."

Pro #1: It is helpful. Sometimes it is a lifesaver when the bulldozer is doing something potentially hazardous, harmful, or potentially life threatening.

"Daddy, the bulldozer is writing on the wall."
or
"Daddy, the bulldozer has scissors."
or
"Daddy, the bulldozer is standing on the table"

Con #2: It is really annoying. Super annoying. Match the need to tell on someone with a flare for being overdramatic and you have a problem. The precious part of the Tomboy refers partly to her extreme flare for the dramatic. If she doesn't think that I see the bulldozer push her or hit her, she acts as if she has been mortally wounded, but if I react quickly to reprimand the bulldozer for her transgressions, it is as if it never happened.

Con #3: The bulldozer is an instigator. At two years old, she already likes to get a reaction out of her sister. Mix that with the Tomboy's over dramatic reactions to things that happen without my knowledge and you have a problem. I am positive that she attacks her sister (yes, attack is the right word) when I am not looking to get a bigger reaction. I know that you are thinking, "Of course, she doesn't want to get caught", but my theory is that she does it to get a bigger reaction. She knows that the Tomboy screams louder when I am not looking.

Con #4: Guilt.

"Daddy, the Bulldozer scratched me boo hoo hoo."
"Is it really that bad?"
"It hurts Daddy."
"Should we go to the hospital?" Yes, I know, I shouldn't be sarcastic with my four year old daughter.
"Noooooo. But it hurts Daddy. Look." She points to three deep red lines on her arm that I know will scab later.
"I'm sorry honey." It is at this point that the bulldozer swaggers in and smiles at me and refuses to say sorry.

Con #5: It is incredibly aggravating.

"Daddy, the Bulldozer is going to tell on me!"

2 comments:

  1. I'm just imagining my sister and I in this story.... I wonder which one I was, somehow, I think i might have been the Bulldozer after listening to some of my dads stories!
    Thanks for my morning ready Mike!

    ReplyDelete
  2. that was morning reading... not morning ready!

    ReplyDelete