So, I'm sure I'm breaking all kinds of rules in parenting with what I'm about to share today, but I don't really care!
It all started innocently enough. Sweet P's hair started getting longer and is at that awkward girl mullet stage. I just don't know what to do with it so we tried pigtails a while back. I have never put a little girl's hair in pigtails and I just wasn't very gentle. After some tears, I finally managed to get some hair in those little bands. I felt bad for Sweet P so I gave her two M&Ms.
Side note, we have a jar of M&Ms in the bathroom as an incentive for her to use the potty. A friend told us it helped his girls want to potty train.
Well, we aren't using the M&Ms for potty training yet but we are going through that jar in a hurry. See, we have this deal now, one M&M per "bow" as she calls it. Yes, I understand it's bribery. And yes, I am fully aware you're not supposed to bribe your children.
But, she looks so darn cute with those little pigtails and really, what's the harm in two stinkin' M&Ms?
So now most mornings she wakes up, asks for milk and then requests bows and nem-nems - and I happily grant her these.
Not bad parenting at all! You are better with your bribery than I am. My little girl is at the awkward hair stage as well. And I, like you, have never done little girl hair. And I'm not very gentle either and I feel awful. I bribe her with the iphone! So I feel for ya! Your little Sweet P looks adorable with her pigtails!
ReplyDeleteGlad I'm not alone! I use the iphone at the Dr. office a lot. Those visits can be LONG!
DeleteShe is so incredibly cute in those pigtails. I wanted to comment on them before, so I'm glad you did this post... and as for the "nems nems," at the very least, she will understand the system when it comes time to break out the potty! :)
ReplyDeleteI like the way you think! I'm hoping she gets more excited about the potty when the new one comes. Fingers crossed.
DeleteI brought those same M&Ms (the all pink bag, valentine's day or breast cancer awareness maybe?) to the little girl I babysit. She too was avoiding being a big girl and using the potty. But she sure did want an M&M.
ReplyDeleteI bribe! I don't see any harm in it :-)
ReplyDeleteWe bribe too ... but just wait until the two nems nems dont cut it anymore!!
ReplyDeleteI'm not looking forward to that day. I may have to up the ante for the potty training now.
Deletei think those adorable pigtails are definitely worth the m&m's. hope all goes well with the arrival of the new little one..looking forward to hearing your baby news!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much!
DeleteOnce I posted about how I bribe Ryann to take photos sometimes, I tell her if she lets me take this many or that many pictures or something I'll give her a marshmallow. Someone commented and said it was simply positive reinforcement, for following directions :o). A bit of stretch but I'm sticking to it.
ReplyDeleteI like that take on it! I may have to go with marshmallows for potty training. Thanks!
DeleteI bribe my girls ALLLLL the time!!!! Especially when I take their photos! I use m&m's, marshmellows or smarties (I like smarties b/c they don't make a mess on their clothes/faces)
ReplyDeleteHer piggies are Adorable!
Ohh, love that idea and the smarties! Going to have to steal those from you :)
Deletehee hee. She's so cute, Lesley!
ReplyDeleteI don't think it's bribery. It's reward :) Seriously, there's a fine line, but I think it's totally legit to give her m&ms! Now, if you start telling her to do something and she stomps her little foot and refuses and THEN you say "If you obey, I'll give you m&ms"... well, then you're in deep trouble :) But giving her something nice for doing something difficult isn't bribery... it's reward. Same foes with potty training or training to stay in a big girl bed. You're doing great with her. She's a little love.
I agree and only use the M&Ms with the bows, err, pigtails. So far so good. Thanks for the encouragement, it means a lot.
Deleteshe looks sooo cute. And there is nothing bad about some little sweets. My mum did it too, to learn us all those little things. And it just made learning more fun. No bad side effects :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the encouragement!
Deletelol, who said bribery isn't allowed? We had a $ store toy surprise box (which included mini boxes of smarties) for potty training with all four kids & for special requests just so life ran a bit smoother. As a past dental assistant speaking here... just keep the toothbrush handy. :-) Sweet P is so darn cute!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Danielle! There's another smarties idea, I really like that one. And I'm super pleased to get the ok from a past dental assistant, oh, and you'll be pleased to know that Sweet P loves brushing her teeth - right now anyway.
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