My granddaughters range in age from 8 to 5 to almost 4. The two older girls come directly to me with their requests for candy, popsicles, cookies, drinks or whatever they think they must have at the time. The youngest however, stands back to get my reaction and if it is a negative response, she bypasses me to either her Dad, Mom, or Aunt Jenn. (PawPaw gets bypassed also as he thinks just like Nanna).
As I sat rocking while watching and listening to their play, the older girls came running to ask for a fudgesicle. Having just finished dinner with desert, I told them they could have one later, but not right now. They ran back to their play passing little bit on the way. Apparently they advised her enroute that the answer was no. she bypasses me and headed for the door only to be met by Mama. Trying her best to keep Mama inside rather than out, she started with "I want" only to be rudely interrupted by Nanna. It didn't work this time. Her Dad was sitting at the patio table and we laughed at her attempt to outsmart me which really made her mad. Off she went to play with the older girls, crestfallen that she didn't win this time either. By the way, they did get their ice cream later.
I want to point out that it isn't always the youngest that is the manipulator. It swaps around as to what is wanted and who feels like the best negotiator at the time. Sometimes they even recruit the grandson as the negotiator and at twelve he has experience and knowledge the other three are lacking.
I can see that their parents are in for a hard time as they get older. Girls have a tendancy to stick together and try to reason things out, whereas a girl and a boy pretty much go their own way and they get what they get. Conspiracy against adults is not a new thing. My sister and I did the same thing. Our only problem was our interest did not follow the same routes.
I always loved to ride and Mom and Dad's Sunday afternoon jaunts were exciting for me, however my sister would get car sick and didn't enjoy the riding at all. Our annual trips to Daytona Beach were all started at night so Sis would go to sleep leaving Mom and Dad to enjoy the long ride. But that didn't mean that we didn't conspire on other issues.
It is a pleasure to watch them grow, to experience the expansion of their minds and their desires for their future. It will be interesting to see if they follow their dreams or find other areas of interest that side tracks them from their goals. Of course at this young age, they are limited to their exposure to what the world holds.
Thanks for sharing with me this morning and until next time . . .
Happy reading!
Belle
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