Backfire

Some moms over at the 4Real Forum were discussing helping older children with studies that required more concentration and someone mentioned having her child do her Math in the master bathroom. It was quiet, there weren't many distractions and it was space that wasn't being used much anyway. I thought, "What a great idea!"

So when Shortcake was having trouble staying focused on her subtraction this morning, I had her follow me in to the bathroom where I had cleaned off the vanity and had a chair all ready for her to sit in. I left briefly to go check on BigBoy and when I came back, saw my beautiful girl in tears. Big, huge sobbing tears.

She thought she was in trouble. Even though I have never, ever used forced confinement as a disciplinary tool before (and don't plan on it).... suddenly she thought I was going to lock her in the bathroom until she could determine the perimeter of a 10' square garden. Our bathroom doesn't even HAVE a lock!

So rather than start saving up for a therapist, I took the bathtub crayons and drew part of a puppy for every question she answered correctly. She has been back to look at her Math puppy three times already and won't let me wipe it away. Thank goodness for ginormous 1980's bathroom mirrors! (See how well it reflects my sea foam green tile!)