Mister Motivation
I keep forgetting to post this story.
As you may remember, Claire was a Fairy Princess this year for Halloween. Everybody knows that Fairy Princesses are full of goodness and light, that they wear light and gauzy dresses to go with their light and gauzy wings.
It was cold and a bit rainy on Halloween night. Too cold for Fairy Princesses to flit about Unprotected. And so Katy got out matching pants and top for Claire to wear under her costume.
Claire was unhappy about this development. She began to squall and fuss, and suddenly I had a bolt of inspiration. I sat down on the stairs in front of her and delivered a short speech:
"Claire, I know how much you've been looking forward to Halloween and how excited you are about trick-or-treating. You're not going to let a little cold and rain keep you from having fun, are you? You're not going to let that slow you down, right? Come on, let's get this stuff on and go trick-or-treating!"
I'm really not sure where that little bit of psychology came from, but boy did it do the trick. Her frown vanished and she got ready to go - the most sensibly dressed Fairy Princess a cold fall night has ever seen. Tony Robbins, eat your heart out!
Comments
Ah , the spin of parenthood. I don't think
that you got that from me - - it was either
put it on or forget about going. Plain and
simple. A little psychology goes a long
ways sometimes.
You did learn to make choices--
along with your sisters.
Posted by: mom | November 19, 2003 1:51 PM
Yes, I've been told I try too hard to explain things to Aaron when he starts questioning my logic.
But I just don't feel right unless I can explain to him why certain things are done certain ways. Either it will hurt you, or it will cost more, or whatever it may be at the time...
Maybe it was all those times one of my parents said "Because" that's gotten me so adverse to saying it.
Posted by: Kris | November 19, 2003 4:10 PM
I'm with you, Kris - but I have to say that "because I said so" is definitely in the parental toolbox if I need it.
Posted by: Brad | November 19, 2003 10:03 PM