Issues

Beatrice has an issue when it comes to cleaning up. I don't know if it's because when she was at Mary's they sang a little cleaning up song, 'Clean up, Clean up! Everybody do their share!' Or what... When ever it's time to clean up she either says: Camille did it. Or that she needs help. I'm sorry. I've done my fair share of picking up my toys and room when I was growing up... with no help from MY sister! (Love you Stace!) I still have to clean up after myself, not to mention Izak, and the girls, the fish, the cat... I really don't want to add to MY clean up list, thank you very much. And besides all that it's the principle of the matter right? She needs to be able to pick up after herself.

Now I've tried many things! I've tried bribing, offering food, toys, a special movie you name it I probably offered it. That didn't really get her moving. I offered to help but it was clear she really just wanted me to do it. I put two of her dress up clothes in her dress up box and she merely stood there. I've tried asking nicely: 'It would help me out a lot if you'd pick up your things.' I've tried yelling and spanking... She just spent the time in her room crying then sneaking out to the game room.

Finally I quickly and silently grabbed a trash bag and went into her room and angrily stuffed her things in my trash bag. Yelling: 'Whatever you can put away you can keep! Whatever I get, gets thrown away!' She started sobbing and frantically trying to put things away. I grabbed what I could then left. I threw the confiscated goods out in the garage. She came out to me still so upset after cleaning her room, wanting her things back. I told her she needed to start listening and she might get to earn her things back. Then she forgot about them for the rest of the day.

Yesterday morning she saw the dress up clothes filled trash bag and wanted the bag in the car with her on the way to school. I told her if she was good and listened she'd get them after school. An hour or so after we got home she wanted the bag. I told her she could get them put she needed to put them away afterwards or I'd throw them away for real. She said she'd put them away. But when the time came she wanted help again.

I told her she dumped them all out. She could put them away. I was going to have some ice cream myself and she wanted some. I told her she could have some if she put her stuff away. (I didn't think it would work because it hadn't worked in the past.) I went into change Camille's diaper so I could give her some ice cream - she's not feeling very well. Beatrice said: 'Mom! Don't come out until I tell you to.' Then she said: 'Okay! When you come out close your eyes.' So I did. When Bea told me to open my eyes I looked and saw that she HAD cleaned everything up! She'd done a really good job too! I was quite surprised. Of course I overly praised her and gave her some pink ice cream. But what the heck!? Was it the pink ice cream that did it?? What changed? I'm so confused! I even pulled Bea aside and told her face to face how proud I was that she cleaned up her mess all by herself and how happy that makes me...

Can she please clean up her things from now on!?

Yeah right...