Karma for Kids

Of course no one ever wishes for anything tragic to befall their children- that would just be psychotic!

However, I am sure we all get tired of our kids arguing, not following directions, our showing signs that they may be the spawn of Satan.  So, come on- admit that secretly when a small amount of (non harmful) karma comes their way, you want to cheer a little inside.

Case in point:  when a child is leaning back in their chair and you ask them not to and they end up falling backwards- that's a bit of karma.  But the case I wanted to share today involves my 8 year old daughter.  As you should all understand, she knows EVERYTHING- at least that's what she thinks.  She is in a phase where she feels the need to argue or dispute anything David or I say.  I am sure it will get worse as she gets older, but in the meantime...  Her dad and his girlfriend have a 5 month old daughter, which would be A's half sister.  They have let her and L carry the baby around since she was first born.  They hold her when they want, apparently they let A get her out of her crib, etc.  Now me, I am a very overprotective parent.  If it were up to me, my parents and I would be the only ones to hold the baby (he's 6 weeks now).   I know that David wouldn't hurt him, but I feel like he's too nervous about something wrong happening and the baby senses fear or stress.  As soon as I hear fussing, I want to hold him. 

I have forced myself to let A hold him from time to time, but she will get up and walk with him or pat his back when he's sleeping or picking him up when he's comfy and being calm.  These are not things that I'm okay with, but her rebuttal is always, "he's my brother, why can't I hold him?"  Every time.  She assumes that because she can hold her sister at her dad's house anytime that it should be the same way with her brother.  I think not.

Now we get to the karma.  According to my kids, their baby sister spits up quite a bit and A says she doesn't really hold her anymore because she "doesn't want to get barfed on."  I haven't really had that problem with my baby unless he gets moved around too much shortly after eating.  Well, this morning I had him lying calmly on the couch (unable to fall) and I came in and she was holding him.  I told her she needed to ask to hold him and she of course said... "why can't I hold him, he's my brother."  So I went about my business.  About 3 minutes later I see her put him back down and go into the bathroom.  I followed her to see what happened and he had puked down her shirt and onto her pants...

KARMA!!  Now hopefully she won't want to hold him as much because she got puked on.  It's a small step for me as a mom, because I know she will never stop arguing... but I takes what I can gets!