I have written before about how much the girls argue with each other. Their arguments are never of very much substance or really ever about anything in particular. They are more of the endless "Yes it is - No it isn't - Yes it is - No it isn't" variety. My latest attempts at curbing this behavior is to simply point out the behavior when it is happening. That usually works for a little while until they find a new topic to disagree on. I was hoping that this might help them recognize the behavior and eventually allow them to police themselves. I, of course, had not seen much improvement and then I had the following conversation with Miss Almanzo the other night:
Miss Almanzo: I'm sorry for not listening very well today.
Ma: It's ok. We all have bad days. It is important for me to know that I can count on you to listen to me. Sometimes it is very important. I know you will do better tomorrow.
Miss Almanzo: I can't do it. I don't know how.
Ma: Yes, you can.
Miss Almanzo: No, I can't.
Ma: Yes you can. All you have to do is try.
Miss Almanzo: Now you are arguing with me.
That's progress, right? She recognized the pattern and called me on it!
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3 comments:
:)
Do the girls know that there are indeed situations where both parties are actually "right", depending on the point of view?
Cool. It's all a process isn't it?
Stephanie
That's a good point blooming desertpea. I'm going to have to pay more attention to what they are arguing about. Thinking about it though most of the arguments go like the one this morning. They got into the "yes it is - no it isn't" over a color. Mary declared it red (which it was). The real problem for Miss Almanzo was that she did not get to say red first. Instead of voicing that frustration she decided to declare that it wasn't red. Of course Mary knew she was right and so it began.
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