Emma:Bash is about to throw a temper tantrum all over Jonas. Do I intervene?
Sabrina:No.
Laney:Is Bash safe?
Me:Yes.
Sabrina:I repeat, do not interfere. Let him experience the full wrath of a toddler who, if I can tell time correctly, which I think I can, would be doing his pre-nap routine right about now if he were at daycare or alone with you.
Laney:What’s the temper tantrum about?
Me:If block dinosaurs have to have wings.
Sabrina:You keep talking, and I keep not changing my opinion.
Laney:I’m so proud of you for texting us when we all know you wanted to go play peacemaker.
Me:It IS naptime. Jonas doesn’t know that.
Sabrina:Maybe it’s time for him to figure it out.
Laney:Has he been around children before? Does he know they take naps?
Sabrina:He was around all day yesterday when Bash definitely took a nap. Remember? Emma was texting us yesterday that Jonas helped with the naptime routine? That was not long after this time yesterday, wasn’t it?
A crashin the living room has me looking up from my phone. “Dat not dybobar!”
I should go in there.
Jonas doesn’t know Bash’s moods. His routines. The best way to handle temper tantrums.
Yes, he helped with the naptime routine yesterday, but also, naptimes during sick times are not the same as naptimes during normal times.
“Whoa, hey, that’s not a nice way to treat friends,” Jonas says. “I liked him. Now I’m sad.”
I hover halfway out of my chair.
“Not dybobar!” Bash cries again.
“Okay. It wasn’t a dinosaur.”
“Not dybobar!”
“Agreed.”
“Dat. Not. Dybobar!”
And I’m done being patient. Jonas hasn’t done anythingwrong. He just doesn’t know what to do that’sright.
For Bash, I mean. In this exact situation.
I stride into the living room, unsurprised to find Bash writhing about on the floor shouting about dinosaurs.
Jonas shoots me a guilty look, like he thinks this is his fault.
“Bash, want to come snuggle Mama?” I say quietly as I squat next to him.
“Mama, not dybobar,” he sobs.
