yeah - Manipulation 101 - that's apparently my course for the year. btw, HK - that book (Manipulative Child)? genius.

reading it gave me enough space to think about where the interactions (and which ones in particular) go sideways. we always did set good limits and she's been really logical her entire life (all 5 years of it!), so her new screaming and stomping strategy was really perplexing, but what she was actually doing was trying to change non-negotiables into negotiables. and it never, ever worked with us - so she was simply settling for causing the biggest scream-y, stomp-y delays she could manage.

but not anymore! THANK YOU!

Every Sunday it brooded and lay on the floor. Inconveniently close to the drawing-room door.