Determined

Thirty-seven.

That’s the number of times Max screamed READ DORA BOOK to me this evening. This was after I had already offered to read it to him, but he chose something else to do instead. And no matter how I responded to his vociferous demand…kindly, angrily, with an explanation, or no response at all….he continually would just scream, “Read Dora Book!”

It was 9 o’clock, an hour past his bedtime…an hour into MY time. Ella was sleeping in the adjoining room; Cameron somehow fell asleep on the bunk above all the noise. Max didn’t want to go to sleep, so he was using one of his stall tactics. But I was not giving in.

I give in all day long, because I just can’t take the screaming. My nerves just tremble every time he starts in on one of his earsplitting, repetitive demands. And even when I try not to give in as he yells his breakfast request of “FRUIT SNACKS” to me for the 47th time, then Cameron even starts whining, “Mom, can you please just give him what he wants so he’ll stop!”

But tonight, I had enough. I wasn’t feeling well, I was extremely tired, and I still had my Bible study to complete for my mom’s group the next day. I was not giving in to his continued loquacious request. Not this time. He has the determination of his father. He knows what he wants, and he won’t stop until he gets it. But I was not giving in.

So his dad did. And his Dora book was read to him. And now all is peaceful in our household….until the next “battle of the wills” tomorrow morning.