Cruella Deville

Dear Jen,

For the first time in Ev's short and dramatic life she is being really punished. Frankly, she should consider herself lucky that what is happening to her right now is possibly the biggest punishment she has ever gotten for anything. Because by really punished what I mean is she was marched straight to bed (taking a break for the bathroom, of course. We're not animals!), no bedtime story, no song, no audio story, no music. NOTHING. And tomorrow she is forbidden from playing with her neighbour friend.

I know, shaking in your boots, right?

But to hear how she cries and whimpers and pathetically coughs and sobs, you would know that this punishment is bad.

What did she do to deserve such cruel and unusual treatment, do you ask? Well, it actually stems from a great development in her life of late. We've vaguely known since our first winter here that we had some kind of child-aged neighbour living across the parking lot from us. But it wasn't until one fine summer's eve this August while my mom was visiting, when she offered to watch Ev as she biked in said parking lot that the two girls had a chance to play together. Eventually my mom, bored of staring at them play on concrete, suggested she come to our house to play some more, and thus a beautiful neighbour kid friendship was born.

Aren't neighbour kids the best? I remember playing with them as a kid. My niece has a neighbour friend that she spent this entire blissful summer playing with practically every day! And since becoming friends, Ev and her neighbour friend (three years older, and honestly I find those play dynamics work the best!) have played practically every day, running between houses and biking in the empty parking lot between. It's great! Except for one problem: usually they play after supper, and Ev has proven to be completely belligerent when it comes to returning home for bedtime.

Today was the last straw. I caught her as she ran past me through the house, "Ev, it's time for bed!" "Five minutes!" she begged. So I conceded, "Alright, but five minutes is not long and I don't want ANY complaining or crying when I come to get you!" (past experience) to which she offered her solemn promise. So probably seven minutes pass and I go out to the porch, call her name, and watch her flee out of view. Great. So I have to go over there, and talk to her friend, who swears she has no idea where she is (which I wasn't sure I could believe or not. Were they in cahoots?). We search around her house as the last light of day fades from the sky and colours are melting into the shadows, and finally, finally, I see her standing very still against the back side of her friend's house. And you know what she says to me when I get there? Not, "You caught me!" Not, "Aw, man. Ok, bye!" Nope. She wails, "I DON'T WANNA GO HOME!"

So her fate was sealed. I grabbed her by the hand, marched her past her bike, which I grabbed, up the porch stairs, into the house, and to her bed. She is SO in trouble tonight. Not only did she break her promise, but she made me have to search for her in the dark and have to worry.

Of course she feels a great injustice has been done to her. This is the first "big kid" "accountable" kind of punishment she has ever had. I need her to get that bedtime means instant obedience. There is no kidding around when there are two other tired kids to deal with and it's dark outside!

Have you had the joys of such a moment?