whining

I have a confession to make.

Sometimes... when I see my boys doing something they're not supposed to... I quietly back out of the room and just pretend I didn't see them. I listen to their mischievous giggles from the other room, knowing I should discipline or at least stop them... but I just can't bring myself to do it.

Why?

Because I cannot stand whining. And fighting. I would take them being "naughty" any day over fighting and whining, as long as they're working together. (somebody may need to remind me of this in the future...) I actually love to hear them plotting and planning (as long as they're not hurting anyone), not knowing I'm listening from the next room. I love to see them working together, helping each other, and coming up with creative solutions, even if I know we'll have a mess to clean up later. But the whining about who took what toy and who had it first, who said what mean thing or who hit who... I have close to zero tolerance for.

However, yesterday morning after Nolan was off to school and I was getting ready for the day, I heard Charlie whining about something and yelling, "Mom!! Hellllp!!"

I walked into the living room to find this

Charlie: "Mom!!! Ella won't stop taking my cars..."

Ella: obviously thinking "Seriously... What. Is. His. Problem??"

The whining and fighting went on...

and on....

"All right... you wanna play like that? We'll just have a stare down then"

I honestly couldn't have been happier. Charlie continued to complain while I just watched, smiled, and yes, even laughed. I am just so happy that Ella is moving around, knowing what she wants (which just so happens to be whatever Charlie has at the moment) and stubbornly going after it. I LOVE that she is trying to take his toys. I LOVE that she is getting into everything, tearing puzzles apart, making a mess.

For the first time in my life I LOVED hearing whining and fighting.