An Old Draft I Thought Worth Rehashing

I may have won the battle, but I think I'm losing the war.

Remember my first post? I thought I was being a sensitive mother who decided to love my kid rather than the "thing" (her wall). She had drawn all over it, and being the sensitive mother that I was, I didn't chastise her for her "creativity". Instead I chose to overlook an offense, and talk to her about it later.

Well, I did that and felt very good at the time. Unfortunately, I don't think I made that much of an impression on her.

Since then she has drawn on her dresser, her sister's bed and the back of her door. So I take away all forms of writing implements and I think I've won.

Not in the least! The next time I caught her in her closet with a jar full of honey. The day after, it was a bottle of baby powder (I didn't even know we had baby powder).

I have tried every approach I can think of to get her to stop being destructive. I have tried loving, chastising, lecturing, hugging, even a techniques I have heard called "tomato staking" (long story).

Nothing!

She seems bent on living "wild and free" as it were. Then when I finally think I got through to her, littlest one started. We are still in the midst of trying to reign in all the artistic creativity in this house...