Leah the Bug

About 90 percent of the time my darling Leah is a well mannered, easy going joy to have around she is helpful, smart and kind hearted. From the very first Parent - Teacher Conference her teachers have given me glowing reports of academic progress and model citizenship.


This only makes the remaining 10 percent that much more pronounced and surprising.


So this morning we had an adventure. I've come to expect a few mornings like this every year, who knows what causes it? Perhaps it is the moon and stars aligning just so, or maybe she ate something that turned her into an ogre. Whatever it was she took it into her mind to have a large and ongoing fit about a pair of gaucho pants that Tessa was wearing and she wanted to wear instead. Tessa very intelligently did not get drawn into a fight with Leah, she stayed clear of the whole thing and let me handle the firecracker.

Jeffer tried to get in on the act by claiming he was sick and school “sucked” and he didn’t want to go (I gave him the language lecture). I told Jeff that I was sorry but Leah was being too grumpy that morning and he would have to have his anti-school rant another day, I only could deal with one horrible child per day. It mostly worked and he only grumbled the rest of the time with a few minor explosions.


Leah blamed Tess for her bad fortune and insisted that Tessa was so selfish and she always gets what she wants and it isn’t fair. . . So she wouldn’t get dressed, but eventually did after being threatened. She wouldn’t get in the van, but she did. Wouldn’t get out of the van but I walked around and got her out. She went to sit on a rock in someone’s yard and fell off it (that was kind of funny and you’ll be proud to know that I saved my out loud laughter until later) and scraped her hand a little which couldn’t really increase her grumpiness as she was already at her limit (she had truly dedicated herself to her fit). Wouldn’t walk over to the crosswalk. Tessa scampered off as quickly as she could, she is a smart cookie. Jeffer lingered around trying to help Leah by picking up her water bottle when it got flung out of her backpack and trying to coax her along, but she was too far gone to appreciate him. I had to load her back in to the car and drive her over to the school to make sure she went, meanwhile the minutes are ticking away and I need to get Alana to preschool, I tried to tell Leah that she was making her dear sister late, but it didn’t make a dent. I pulled her out of the car, kissed her and told her she should probably go and get some breakfast before the bell rang. I left her standing on the curb, being very grumpy. In the rear view mirror I watched Jeff and another girl approach her in a gesture of friendship and peace but she cruelly pushed her loving brother away and crossed her arms in a fierce manor. Good times. I drove away praying that she would go to class when the bell rang.

P.S. Leah did attend school and came home happy as a clam. Not a word was mentioned about the morning's antics and this morning (the next day) went very smoothly, we're back in the 90's! :)