Is this reverse psychology or just douchiness?

[brigid]

The other day, we were in a big hurry to get Niko ready and go out the door to meet some fine folks AT A RESTAURANT. Luckily, this was NOT the sort of place where your entire party had to be present to be seated, because we were HALF A DAMN HOUR LATE because SOMEBODY refused to put pants or shoes on and wanted to stay home and watch tv and FOR ONCE this person was NOT ME. It was Niko. Just FYI.

It was actually pretty awful, and a great example of what people mean when they talk about how shitty 3 1/2 year olds are, and it’s honestly pretty unusual in our house. Niko’s a pretty laid back dude, very cooperative, and I try to prepare him for transitions and new things which I think helps a lot in him feeling secure and relaxed. But that night was just AWFUL. There was kicking and screaming and hitting and running and hiding and I almost gave in and sent Nesko off by himself while I stayed at home with King Buttbutt but Nesko STOOD FIRM and said we were doing this as a FAMILY or NOTHING.

I ended up confiscating and putting in time out all of Niko’s stuffed animals, with the understanding that he could start redeeming them with good behavior. He won 2 back by putting on his pants and shoes and jacket, and I brought another small one with us that he could redeem at the restaurant. He got another one or two, I forget how many, back for going down to bed easily that night. The rest are in a big bin in our bedroom.

Yes, are.

They are still there.

He’s continued to redeem them, but he has a LOT of stuffed animals, and now he’s just… I don’t know. I invited him to take ALL OF THEM out of our room and he refused. “No, mama, I want to be good and get one back every day because I’m good!”

I just want them out of our room.

We live in a vintage apartment building. It’s about 100 years old. We have a queen sized bed which BARELY fits. This bin of stuffed animals is taking up a LOT of space, to the point where I can’t open most of the drawers of my dresser and nobody can get in on one side of the bed.

It’s inconvenient.

And our bedroom is also holding a bunch of stuff that USED to be in our office, which is now a bedroom for a friend who’s staying with us for a while. So we have 3 guitar cases, 2 guitar stands, a bunch of wrapping paper, and some boxes in our bedroom and basically I am about to go more insane than ever and why can’t I just have nice things? Oh right, because my bedroom is full of stuffed animals.

Which Niko won’t take back.

Because reasons.

I think he’s punishing me.

“Oh, you’re going to take away my special friends? Well you go right ahead and see how much you like that idea when it’s YOU who has to trip over them MAMA.”

I’m pretty sure he practices an evil laugh at night, after I’ve tucked him.

The evilest of laughs.

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