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The Silent Treatment

Nicholas gave me the silent treatment today. He’s four. I thought I had until he was at least fourteen.

I kept Nicholas home from preschool today. He woke this morning with a barking cough. Great. With all the germs floating around, I’m not surprised. Added to the cough was an all-over case of grouchiness. A minor dispute with his brother over Lego (Ben had a piece Nicholas wanted) resulted in a 20-minute crying jag, followed by a morning nap. Morning nap?! Yes. You heard right. Nicholas hasn’t taken a morning nap since he was about a year-old. Something was definitely up.

A trip to the pediatrician’s yielded nothing…maybe a cold. Maybe. And by the time that we went to the doctor, Nicholas had made a miraculous recovery. So, needing milk and a few other staples, we made a second quick trip out, to the grocery store.

As we stood in line at the check-out, Nicholas asked if we could play when we got home.

“Sorry peanut,” I replied. “It’s quiet time when we get home. We’ll play afterwards.”

“No!” Nicholas answered. “No, no, no, no, NO!!”

The cashier gave me a sympathetic look. She’d obviously been there.

“Nicholas, knock that off or you will lose Moo for quiet-time.” Moo is his lovey.

Nicholas didn’t say another NO. In fact, he barely uttered another word as we made our way out of the store, through the parking lot, and I loaded my few groceries into the van.

I knew exactly what he was up to. The Silent Treatment. Well kiddo, your mommy was the queen of The Silent Treatment, so two can play at this.

I smiled at Nicholas in the rearview mirror as I left the shopping mall, “You okay, Peanut?”

Nothing.

“Nicholas?” I said in a sing-song voice. “How’s my little Nicholas?”

Nothing.

“Are you tired, sweet-pea? Why don’t you close your eyes while I drive us home?”

Nothing.

Kid, you are going to be a real treat when you’re a teenager.

Frankly, if Nicholas wants to be silent I’ll take it. No problem. Nicholas, you be silent for as long as you want. I turned on the radio and sang along to Maroon Five (I really want to love somebody…), which Nicholas might not mind now, but will really embarrass him when he’s a teenager.

Suddenly, a quiet little voice piped-up from the backseat with a big sigh, “Mommy. I just really tired.”

Hmm…I think I’ve used that line.

“You’re tired? Well, when we get home you can go for a nap during quiet time.”

Doesn’t that work out nicely? Cue Evil-Mom laugh: MWA-HA-HA-HA-HA!!!

xo Naomi

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