TrulyUs: When negotiations do not work..try compliments instead

Little Ms Negotiator

Bean loves to negotiate. when I tell her she gets 2 more grapes, she will say "3 more mummy, 3 more". When I tell her that's the last song on the iPad, she says "2 more songs mummy". when i tell her it's bath time in 2 minutes, she goes "5 more minutes!". when i say time for bed, she says "1st I sing to animals (all her soft toys on her bed), then I play pocolini (her leapfrog caterpillar), then I sleep"

Today while feeding her her dinner (she loves pasta nights!), she asked me to read to her. after about 3 books and lots of exaggerated acting from me, I said enough. as usual she went, "just 1 more book mummy, just 1" and I said " no sophie, I am tired" and then she looked at me earnestly and said "please mummy..sweet pie". LOL..she picked that up as I always call her my sweetie pie. naturally she won and I continued reading.

as she is past midway her terrible twos , here's what she has definitely picked up from her peers at school :
- a GIANT "NOOO" with arms folded and a huffy look on her face
- lie on floor and kicking legs when she does not get her way
- playing with saliva (hmm, maybe this one she is regressing and following mini bean)

a slight change in her sleeping style - she now sleeps on her pillow and hugging not just bunny but the big mickey and her bolster. she still sleeps on her tummy and we get to see the occasionally butt up in the air sleep pose.

when she reaches home from school and if i am not home, she will call me and says "hello mummy, where are you now?" and then "I want you to come home now" and then "I want mummy to buy me something". that something can be anything ranging from food (usually chocs) to toys. most times i just bring out something from the kitchen - thankfully she is easy to please.

our friend Deb recently posted about the Marshmellow test - the secret of self control. she mentioned that the test is best done on kids ages 4 and above..I was curious to see how bean will fare. so far I have tested her 3 times on random occasions with chocolate and each time, she has patiently waited, forgoing instant gratification for a bigger "reward". i did not follow the exact instructions of the test which was that the child be left in a room with the treat alone. maybe that would yield a different result? I should definitely try it the right way.

My colleague asked me today how's life with 2 kids - I gave her the first word that came to my mind "tiring!" but added on "but I love it!"..yes I do miss my ME time - I was feeling really sick over the weekend with flu, headache and body aches - yet there was still the twice a night feeds and bean's constant "I want you to play with me mummy". But hearing their sweet laughter and cute replies along with the hugs and kisses (and smells - snifflelous is what jin calls mini bean) - 110% worth it!