Adventures in Babysitting, part n in an ongoing series

[wshaffer]

Younger Nephew decided that the best way to deal with my trying to get him to go to bed was to tie me to his bed with dental floss so that he could go downstairs and watch YouTube on the iPad. He was so disappointed when my escapology skills proved more than the equal of his knot work.

So, he climbed up on the bathroom counter and told me that mommy and daddy were going to be mad at me when they got home, because I had broken the rules.

So, I leaned on the counter and talked to him about why mommy and daddy were going to be mad, and what rules I had broken, and about whether he'd really rather sit on the bathroom counter all night rather than go to bed, and whether or not he was tired, and how proud of him his mommy and daddy would be if he went to bed. And after about 10 or 15 minutes of this, he climbed wearily down off the counter and put himself to bed. So I thanked him for being such a good boy, and tucked him in, and shut the light off, and he went right to sleep.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I bored a four year old out of an act of defiance. I'm not sure whether I should be proud or embarrassed.

Comments

[wild-irises.livejournal.com]

I don't know if you read the Miles Vorkosigan books, but you did exactly what Bujold/Miles recommend: don't raise the stakes, lower the wall.

[wshaffer.livejournal.com]

Ha! I hadn't made the connection, but you're right. (Also, I'm very much looking forward to the day when I can introduce Younger Nephew to the Miles Vorkosigan books.)

[(Anonymous)]

We should have you babysit more often. Your recaps are so fun to read!

[little-ribbit.livejournal.com]

I'm terribly amused that he decided to tie you up with dental floss to get his way.

[wshaffer.livejournal.com]

Me too!