She's touching MEEEEEE!!!!

Oh my goodness!

Have you heard that phrase in your home as much as I have heard it in my. It is enough to drive me up a wall and inspire me to hang out on the ceiling or something. In other words, it is driving me batty!

Courtesy is one subject we have a bit of trouble with in our homeschool. Rutabaga (the 8yo) took a while to learn it. I had to teach her that when a fellow kid falls next to her and starts crying because they are injured; it is polite to stop playing to make sure they are okay. I never thought she would get it, but I am thrilled to say that I no longer have to remind her except maybe on rare occasion. And usually that is because she might have had something to do with the kid falling. Especially if that kid is Butternut (the 6yo).

Now, this Butternut kid? What am I going to do with her?

We have family coming tomorrow morning for our family Christmas gathering at the New Year. We are hosting everyone for the first time ever and their sleeping arrangements have been set up in clean rooms. To prevent the rooms from becoming war zones just in time for Grandma and Grandpa to show up, the kids are in my bed for the night. Keeping them out of their room will make for a nice welcome for the grandparents to their B & B for the weekend. My reward for this hospitality readiness?

"Mom--she won't MOOOOOOOVE,” screams Butternut.

"Butternut, it would work better if you said 'Excuse me, please. I would like to get under the covers.'" I calmly reply in a sweet as honey tone.

"But she's being RUDE," she logically replies.

"I know that Butternut, but..."

"Aaaaaaahhhh", she interrupts.

"Butternut, I know she is being rude, but you do not want to get in trouble for it do you?" I ask as I scramble to not count how many steps it would take to reach the perch on the ceiling.

"AAAAHHHHH!!!!"

Evidently she does. Okay, time for the big dogs! After a warning that she will be on the couch if she doesn't stop whining, she then attempts to comply with my instructions on to handle the situation. But it sounds a bit whiney, so I remind her that she has to be PO-LIIIIIITE when she requests. Eventually it works and Butternut successfully requests her sister to give her some room to get her comfy spot under the covers.

Rutabaga snuggles in the middle of the bed and all is calm until....

"She's touching MEEEEE!!!"

"BUTTERNUT!!!"

No more complaints now. Both the ladies are falling asleep on the bed.

And after all that fuss, Rutabaga is snuggled under the covers while Butternut is all stretched out on TOP.

Now to go get Alfalfa Sprout out of his high chair. Like a good boy, he fell asleep without so much as a whimper.