My seven-year-old argued with me and absolutely refused to put on clean underwear one morning recently. It baffled me. I could not understand why in the world she was unwilling to remove her panties and change into a nice, new clean pair. Especially since she was in the act of changing from her pajamas anyway. No argument would make her budge. Not the “it’s just what we do” stance or the more frightening, “but if you don’t you may get sick and need a SHOT!” tactic. She stood firm.

Many minutes, precious morning routine minutes, passed during this debate.

I forget now what made her cave, but she eventually did. (Thank goodness.)

Yesterday I got the reinforcement I had prayed for, but in the strangest of places.

She was enjoying one of her favorite treats, a bottle of Sweet Leaf honey-mint green tea. The underside of the lid always offers a ‘Grannyism’. Yesterday’s was perfect! My girl turned stone-faced as she read it aloud.

Mom wins!