NO! I’M GOING TO BE MEAN TO YOU!

This is Julia’s newest favorite phrase and, gosh she says it just in such a sweet and loving tone, at the top of her lungs, followed by a shrieking “Roar!!!!” that I just want to squeeze her. Tight.

I know she’s finding herself and pushing our limits and this is what 3-year olds do, but how do you respond?

Here’s what we do.

“Julia, that’s not nice. You cannot say that. I want you to stay in your room until you’re ready to come out and apologize.”

That’s followed by a good five minutes of crying and screaming, then silence. And then finally, a sheepish walk out with head down to apologize.

And then tomorrow we’ll do it all over again. Yay!