Mommy Line: Do not cross

When trying to teach your children discipline, it's impossible to do it all at once. You sort of have to take the most serious offenses and work your way down to the more lax stuff. Today, I had to clean the guest bathroom. Since both of them seem to be in nap refusal mode, I couldn't clean how I like to clean. When they are peacefully asleep. I gathered the necessary items, solvents, paper towels, Mr. Clean Magic Eraser (my fav!) and headed to the bathroom. As soon as I went in both of my children wanted to follow. I said, no, stay out, mama has to clean. They both looked at me as if I was from the moon. They know what I said, and they know what it means. The war had begun. They both ran into the bathroom knocking each other over. NO! OUT! My daughter retreated but my willful son stayed ready for battle.

My sons attempts: Place him outside, comes back in, place him outside, he comes back in. Now, I'm stuck. Once you start something you have to follow through...dang it...should have just waited for my hubby to come home. Round and round we went until the tantrums started. He threw himself down on the floor and sobbed. I was fine with this because now I could start cleaning. Every few minutes he'd get up and take 2 steps in, out he went, arching his back and throwing himself to the ground. More cleaning. 1 step in, out he went, screaming and kicking, he was going to get his way. This went on for the full hour. I was just about to finish up when I saw him get up and run down the hall to the playroom. I won! I won! The battle of wills was over and I felt victorious.

My daughters attempts: She runs away at the first NO! OUT! Then the comedy show begins. Keep in mind I was trying not to burst out laughing at each of these attempts. I had to bury my head into my shoulder, not letting my smile show. She attempted to do the following.

1. Place one foot in

2. Place one hand in

3. Place her head in but leaving all other body parts outside

4. Walk in backwards

5. Crawl in on her stomach

6. Grab her doll and place the doll just inside the doorway

7. Place her stuffed doggie inside around the corner

8. Place 1 finger in

9. Throw her blanket in the door and slowly drag it back out to see if I would notice

10. My favorite. Stand just outside the door with a pacifier in her mouth (a no-no, "crib only" rule) so that I would have to leave the bathroom to come and take it from her. As soon as I popped it out of her mouth she smiled, touched a toe inside and ran off laughing.

My son was trying to get his way while my daughter looked for a loophole. Love it, a future doctor and a lawyer, ladies and gentlemen.

I know I sound overly strict, but I'm big on physical boundaries. It falls just below hitting and biting. Do not cross means do not cross. Do not come into a bathroom is the same command as do not go into the street or do not leave this room. It's important to me that they understand that when I say do not go there, as tempting as it may be, they shouldn't.