NOTE: This post was intended for Monday... My girls did not eat cake today. As difficult as it was not to give in, my husband and I had to teach them a lesson about both following directions and learning to at least try to eat what is on the table. In the past, we would always give in, especially my husband, saying "...but they're my girls".

Today I specifically told them that they could not eat the candies in their goodie bags they got this past weekend. I made that very clear. After lunch, they went upstairs to play. Take heed whenever there is a prolonged period of silence. After a while, the girls came downstairs and walked into my study as I was working at my computer. I noticed something purple stuck to my oldest daughter's face and immediately asked what it was that she ate. "Nothing", she said. I asked her sister and she also insisted that they ate nothing. Then my oldest told me that her sister fed her. I quickly went upstairs and noticed all of the empty wrappers and a Tootie lollipop stick strewn about on the floor. I also noticed my daughter's owl purse lying open on the floor...their method of transporting all of the candy from the three goodie bags and up the stairs away from my prying eyes. Needless to say, punishment was due. First, the girls were separated - one girl was to go to the upstairs bedroom and the other downstairs. It was a great time for a forced nap. Then, they were not going to get any cake.

My husband and I actually sat outside at the dinner table eating the cake in front of them. My husband was enjoying his favorite cake very much, eating three large slices while both of the girls looked on. It was difficult not to want to give in, but we had to stand firm or risk our children taking advantage of future situations. I did give Sagey a small slice of cake, only because he managed to eat four bananas before dinner. He also wanted more cake, but we decided to save the rest for the morning.

Directions are not always easy to follow for children, but they have to know there are consequences to their actions even if it is as simple as not getting to eat cake.