Picking up my four year old today consisted of her yelling at the top of her lungs for an otter pop and screaming like a banshee or at least what I expect one would sound like. As a mother, I know to pick my battles. Certain things are not worth fighting over especially when it comes to cranky kids. However, there are definitely times when I need to put my foot down because a lesson must be learned. These times are obviously not during that morning rush because I pick my battles wisely and often when time is on my side.

Back to the otter pop situation. Today she actually crawled on her hands and knees to the car because she wanted an otter pop from summer camp. I would have considered buying her one  Actually I was not planning on buying any for the simple fact that we have a freezer full of those suckers and I did not feel like buying not one but three for the little people in my car. Parents know that buying a treat for one means buying a treat for all. After she finally crawled into the car, it was non-stop screaming for a good 30 minutes. While it was rough on all passengers, I had to stand my ground. These little ones are smarter than many would give them credit for. They are testing you, every minute, every hour and every day. After we finally got home, she continued with her crying and everyone went inside, except her. A few minutes later, she was done. She gave me a hug and inside we went. Katarina 0, Mommy 1.

I honestly believe that these small but significant life lessons will teach my children that Mommy is the queen (yes, I said it) and that what I say is the law of the land (haha, I just made myself LOL). Bottom line is that some battles are worth fighting because it teaches them life lessons such as why pay for it when you have it at home, though that sounds like more of an adult topic than anything else, but you get the gist. Teaching children how to accept what you say today translates to a life lesson tomorrow.