Jung Would Be Proud

My oldest daughter and I were in the kitchen the other night winding down for the evening. She was getting ready for bed and I was trying to straighten up and hold the baby. At about 9:30 my brain and body just want to sit down and be done. However, I turned around and noticed a pretty sizable mess on the kitchen table, half of which had been created by my daughter. I sighed an audible sigh and proceeded to walk towards the table to clean it. Then I said, "Sweetie, will you... Oh, never mind I'll just do it." As I start cleaning up she says, "Mom, that is nothing but manipulation! I hate it when you ask us to do something and then say that you'll just do it! It makes us want to just hurry over and do it, but it makes me mad!"

I turned around, picked my jaw up off the floor, and just as I was going to defend myself, realized she was absolutely right and I admitted to it. She then requested that if I wanted something done would I please just ask. We continued to have a great conversation and I thanked her for bringing that to my attention.

I was stunned! First of all, what 9 year-old uses the word "manipulation" and actually knows what it means! Secondly, I was impressed she had the intestinal fortitude to point out my behavior. It sort of made me want to say, "Okay, Avery, tomorrow you're going to school and you will become a 9 year-old like every other 9 year-old instead of a twenty-something in a 9 year-old body.

I felt better when, five minutes later she said, "Mom, will you sing me an extra song tonight and tuck me in?" I can only imagine what the next few years will bring!