Laura and the sassy 6's!!

 Laura is 6 years old now and the past month or so has been going through this phase (I call it a phase in the hopes that it will STOP soon!) where she seems to complain about EVERYTHING. Sigh.....I'm sick of it.
 I almost want to stop her mid complaint and say "I don't want to hear this!", but I don't because I think "how awful would I feel if my mom said that to me?!"......did I complain THIS much when I was a kid?
 Not only complaining, but arguing. Here is a conversation we recently had....

 Me: Laura you need to go put on some warm clothes, it's a little chilly outside.

 Laura: But I want to wear THIS.

 Me: It wasn't a question....I was telling you to go put on warmer clothes. You may choose which warm clothes to wear, but you may not choose whether you do it or not.

 Laura: I'm not doing it. (arms folded, pout face in full swing)

 Me: Go put on warm clothes, or you can lay in your bed until you decide to listen.

 Laura: FINE!!!!

Some times I will say "timeout for yelling at me" or "timeout for being disrespectful", and sometimes I plain old ignore it. It's true what they say.....pick your battles. My kids being outside in summer clothes when its winter is not going to happen. So, I let them wear whatever their little hearts desire, as long as its warm. It can completely not match....I don't care. Sometimes this works well for me. I win and they THINK they win by being able to pick out the outfit. Let's face it though....mom really won!

 Laura is insanely smart, beautiful, sweet, FUNNY, and very thoughtful. So seeing her go through this 6 year old phase of back talking, complaining and whining, is just sad for me. I know they all go through these weird and....well extrememly frustrating phases, but this one needs to leave soon. Really soon.

 I have learned 2 great things. 1, just because she is going through this, doesn't make her a bad child.....not at all. It makes her normal. I am learning how to handle these fits and she is learning her boundaries.....again. And 2, I'm not alone in this. I have a lot of my mama friends telling me that their children have gone or are currently going through this same phase. I will call it the sassy 6's. EEK!

 For now I will continue to show her all of my love, and all of my firmness.....later she will thank me. Or later she will have a bigger fit. Either one! Ha!