Some days, I just hate being the mom.

Today we had a good sized box that found itself empty. Ruby saw this box and asked very nicely if she could have it to make it her special boat. I told her she could, but she had to still help out and do the stuff she needed to do. She agreed and spent some time making the box into a hideout (I guess she changed from the boat idea.)

Later, much later, I asked her to start folding her clothes. I asked her to start by folding 10 things and then let me know and I'd give her another number. This is how we usually do it, then she doesn't feel intimidated by a big old pile of clothes. Well, today she folded one thing then started whining. First she was tired, then she was hungry, then her legs were tired, then her legs were floppy. All her regular excuses to not do anything. I told her she could have a nap when she was done, have a snack when she was done and she could sit down to fold the clothes (this was just after lunch and she doesn't even take naps anymore).

And then she decided to just stop. And whine. So I sent her to time out. And she decided to get into a battle of wills about going to time out. Which then turned into a full-out screaming tantrum. And if there is one thing I cannot stand, it's a tantrum. Tantrums always lead to extra-long time outs. She had to burn herself out screaming in time out, then she had to have a time out for screaming at me. Extra Long. Anyway, at some point in the battle of wills, she got her box taken away. I took it and put it in the recycling, which is in the garage.

Later, when she was calmed down and back to folding clothes (she also lost the folding game and now just had to fold them all on her own) she made a comment about the box being in the car. I mentioned that it wasn't in the car, that it was in the recycling.

She looked down at the floor, then looked up at me with teary eyes and a trembling chin and with her hands on her hips she said, "Well, that is just a big waste of a box!"

I mean really, how am I supposed to respond to that?