Monday Mischief: The Couch Debacle

The three year old male who lives in my house, who happens to be my son, who cracks me up on a regular basis and amazes me with his unwavering love and kindness has shown me he is undoubtably a man.

We moved to a new house a couple months ago and in the immense world of change, my little guy decided that waking up early was his new way of life. He'd walk in my room just as the sun came up and whine to watch TV on the couch with his blanket and juice cup. Because I was heartbroken over all the change my kiddos had gone through (leaving the city, home and family they'd grown up with) I gave in and began curling up with him on the sofa at 6am.

It didn't take long for my five-year-old baby girl to catch on. Something was happening long before she got up and she didn't like it. She'd wake up to us giggling to cartoons and in no time decided this was not going to happen on her watch.

What came next was a battle for superiority. My children decided they would rather lose their favorite toy than be the last one up. A game of "who can get up first and get control of the couch for twenty minutes in the morning" had begun and much to my chagrin. Little feet tip toeing into my room at all hours is tough enough, but when its for ownership of the couch and television and undivided mommy giggle time, its enough to make you crazy.

I put a swift (sort of swift) stop to it, three weeks of 5am mornings was killing me and the mood of my sleep deprived children was like nails sliding slowly down a chalkboard. "THAT'S IT", I stomped my feet one particularly early day..."NO MORE!"

Things have returned mostly to normal until this morning when the little guy crawled out of bed, realized his sister was already up and took off running down the hallway. With blanket, cup, stuffed animal and his much loved ducky in hand he sped down the hall, face showing anger and despair. This even tempered, happy-go-lucky little boy was going to control what was his. In minutes his comfy morning routine was completely set up and he had put his name on it. The couch was his and he was not giving it up to anyone!