Busted

I am certain that within everything a child provokes a parent to do and deal with, there is a lesson to be learned.  I have, along with anyone who has ever met her, seen time and time again the stubborn streak in my daughter.  Her incredible persistence to make her own choices (even at this age) drives a number of decisions everyday.  Sometimes she will learn that her desires will not grant her the wonderful experience she is hoping for, and likewise, she will learn that those who care for her will set her up for wonderful experiences.

Yesterday Molli ventured off into her bedroom, which is allowed.  I had set some toys out for her to play with and I was listening as she played by herself.  “Happy play” sounds like this:  Babble, jabber, jabber.  Clunking toys, squeals and more jabber, jabber.  When those noises cease, worry ensues. “Happy play” noises ceased yesterday and I sat in the living room for a moment, listening to the quiet, waiting for an indication of what was happening within the walls of her bedroom.  Then she called for me.

Quietly at first, “Maaaaaa…”

A little louder, more urgent, “Maaaaaa!”

I walked into her room and found her facing her dresser with her all fingers (minus thumbs, which are lacking a joint, therefore, aren’t fingers and don’t count) stuck in a drawer. She couldn’t move. 

I’m not going to lie, I wanted to grab the camera… but I played the role of Good Mom and rescued her.

Now, she wasn’t hurt at all, and this certainly wouldn’t have been a big deal except I can’t help but note that she KNOWS she’s not supposed to use the drawers.  We have a common saying in our house that goes a little something like this:

“Molli, no _____.”  (insert forbidden act/object here- cords, climbing, phones, drawers, remotes, touching, computers, biting etc.)

We have recently simplified our common phrase to a more general, “That’s a no.”  It covers all grounds. 

Anyway, she knows drawers are a “no” but with the absence of her bossy mom, she got sneaky and made the choice to follow her curiosity to open the drawer to unseen wonders and all things exciting.  How enticing were those pretty green knobs and how urgent the desire to peek inside.  What wonders could this gigantic drawer hold?  Certainly she never found out.  The drawer is too high for her to see into and she was, undoubtedly, stuck before enjoying the neatly folded towels within.  Sorry kid. 

And sorry she was. 

I can imagine her frustration at the realization that not only was she stuck, she also had to get Mom’s help.  Which means BUSTED!

I can draw lots of conclusions and make a few different lessons out of this scenario, but today I will leave this thought:

How often do we, even as adults, make unwise choices, based entirely on our whims, end up stuck and hesitantly ask for help, or just plain busted?  We see it on TV everyday and I know it’s in our lives, to some extent.  (Although, I must add, in my life, I’ve seen this more often in attempts to rearrange my bedroom furniture as a kid.  Nothing like getting all the heavy furniture stuck in the middle of the bedroom and either getting busted or stuck and having to ask for help.)

I love my crazy girl.