Not Listening!

Well, today my little daughter took about ten years off my life.  Twice.  So I guess I'll be checking into the nursing home any minute now.

It started around noon, just before I went out to do all my errands.  Usually, DH and DD will watch me leave, waving goodbye before they go off to the park, color, or whatever it is they do in the the short while before DD goes down for her nap. 

Today, DD took my keys from me, because she loves to push the lock key and make the horn beep.  I don't mind that at all.  It's not a really loud horn, and she gets a kick out of it.

But -- when it was time for me to go, I asked for the keys back.  DD started laughing and ran away.  Toward the street.  And she wouldn't stop despite my yelling and DH's yelling.  Fortunately, she made a 90-degree turn at the last minute and went along the sidewalk in her effort to run away.  But still -- DH ran after her, and he wouldn't have caught her in time had she decided to continue on, straight into the street.

Later on in the day, she ran away from us again.  Right into the middle of the street.  Fortunately, it was the side street, but how would she know the difference?  And it is still possible to get hit by a car, even though it is not particularly busy.  And again, she wouldn't stop.  We had to run after her.  But she was in the middle of the street before DH caught up with her.

Now, we have gone over and over what to do to cross the street.  DD goes through the steps herself now.  "Stop.  Look.  One way.  The other way.  Are there cars?  No.  OK.  Time to cross.  Hold mommy or daddy's hand, and hurry, hurry, hurry across the street."  She really does know the drill.

Scary, scary stuff.  I think that we are going to have to play red light/green light, or Simon Says stop/go, to try to bring the lesson home that when we say "stop," she has to stop.  I can't remember where I learned that these were good games to try, but I think that it was on Mary's site.  She always has good advice.  And we need some.  This is just not acceptable behavior, and I don't have that many years left that DD can scare off of me, you know?

Comments

[Linda]

OMG, my little one does this and it just scares the living daylights out of me. I am so careful with her, but she is very sneaky, and very fast!!