HELP WANTED

On Sunday the girls woke up determined to fight, argue, and bicker with each other ALL DAY LONG. It drove the other five of us insane. They drove the boys so crazy that they declared it a "boy day" and played together in their room for most of the afternoon. We tried talking to the girls about it. We tried pointing out the behavior when it was happening. We tried ignoring it. We tried distracting them with new activities. We tried separating them by forbidding them to be in the same room together. Nothing worked. They seemed determined to annoy and be annoyed by each other no matter what. Their last argument before I finally banned them from being in the same room at the same time went something like this.

Mary: Can I try your dress on?

Miss Almanzo: No. It is too small for you.

Mary: Please, please can I try your dress on?

Miss Almanzo: No. It won't fit you.

Mary: I just want to try it on one time.

This continues for several minutes.

Miss Almanzo: I said no. Take my first answer. Quit asking me the same question again and again.

Mary: I did not ask you the same question again.

Miss Almanzo: Yes you did.

Mary: No I didn't.

Miss Almanzo: Yes you did!

Mary: No I didn't.

At this point you could safely go for a 30 minute run and not worry that you missed anything. Their arguing continued with each "Yes you did" and "No I didn't" getting increasingly louder. Miss Almanzo finally broke the stalemate with the following.

Miss Almanzo: Yes you did and now you are arguing with me.

Mary: I am not arguing with you.

Miss Almanzo: Yes you are!

Mary: No I'm not.

Miss Almanzo: Yes you are!

Mary: No I'm not.

At this point you could grab a quick bite to eat without fear of missing any of the argument. Their "Yes you are" and "No I'm not" volleying continued until I could take it no longer. Now they were actually arguing with each other over whether they were arguing with each other. I sent them to different parts of the house until dinner. Mary went upstairs to her room and fell asleep. Peace and harmony settled over the house for an hour or so with the exception of an argument between Mr. Laura and Mr. Garvey. It went like this.

Mr. Laura: Can I play with your cars?

Mr. Garvey: No because you break them.

Mr. Laura: I didn't break them. It was an accident.

Mr. Garvey: Maybe in a little while.

Mr. Laura: I don't like you any more.

Mr. Garvey: That is not a nice thing to say.

Mr. Laura stomps off upstairs mad. Moments later he is back and he and Mr. Garvey are laughing and rolling around on the floor together.

There is definitely something to be said for the way the males in general handle their disagreements. They say what they have to say and then they move on. What is the significance of the way women argue and hold grudges? I know my sister and I fought like this as children. I can still hold a grudge when I feel that I have been unfairly treated. Anybody out there have any good suggestions for curbing the non-stop bickering and arguing between their daughters?