Patti and Anjali have an argument

Anjali's ability to talk back has increased dramatically over the last few weeks. I wrote previously about how she defended herself when I questioned her about talking in school. A couple of days ago, she wanted to go to the playgound, and I insisted that it was late, she had other things to do, I had other things to do and everything. Whereupon, she walked to the schedule chart that I had put up on the wall. The playground icon was not on Wednesday, but she moved it to Wednesday and said "See, there is playground today" (How did she know that it was Wednesday??)

The piano icon was on Wednesday as well. "Let's play piano and then go to the playground.", I said. She promptly moved the piano icon after the playground icon. "See. First playground and then piano"

And then she wants now to go down the stairs. "Its more interesting", she says. "You can see more things"

This is true. There are potted plants in almost each floor, a couple of fish tanks on the 13th floor, and it is good exercise. Ofcourse, the kids know that anytime they are tired, they can take the lift.

At the start of each flight of stair Anjali goes

"Stop. Take a big breath"

Sophia and I would take a breath.

"Hold the breath. Dont let go"

Then she climbs three or four steps. "When you reach here, you let go".

I suppose they do this stuff in school.

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When patti told Anjali off for jumping on the bed, she says "Its my bed, I am jumping on it. Whats the problem?"

Things came a bit to head when Anjali didnt like what patti had made for dinner (Vegetable aval). To be fair, the aval tasted really good. It was just unimaginative. So Anjali ate an few mouthfuls and then spat it out. Then patti hit her lightly and scolded her saying things about children in Ethiopia not having food. Whereupon Anjali cried and started to hit patti.

So, when i got wind of it, Patti and I decided that Patti shall not come to acasa today, but stay in Patti' s house. Daddy shall take care of the girls instead.

From Anjali's ballet class, we went straight to the library.

"Can you buy me bread at bread talk?", Anjali asked "I am hungry"

"Its your own fault that you didnt eat your dinner. So you will have to wait till we finish at the library before wee can get you a snack". I told her.

"But I didnt like the food that patti gave me", she said

"Then ask patti to give you something else", I told her

"But there was nothing else to eat" she argued. "Only milo was there"

"Then from tomorrow, ask patti to give you a shoice before she arranges the cooking for dinner ", I said "Then make the choice and eat waht you have chosen"

"Ok", she said. "Now can you buy me break talk bread?"

"Nope. Not until we finish with the library"

"If you dont buy me bread talk bread now", she said, stopping at the road "I will hate you"

It was not said with any heat, but it does cause worry.

"Ok", I said. "Do you want to go to the library, or just go home... you can eat straight away when you go home"

She gave herself a couple of seconds.

"Ok. ", she said "we'll go to the library, and you take one book only and quickjly come down to bread talk and buy me bread"

"Fine", I said

But we ended up staying for over half an hour and borrowing 30 books, after which Anjali got her bread.

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"Patti is not coming to acasa tomorrow, you know", I told her. "Daddy will take care of you instead"

"No!", she said, beginning to cry "Patti must come!"

"Well Anjali, you hit patti right?"

"But patti hit me also." Which was true

"Is it right for you to hit patti?"

"But patti hit me first, so it is right for me to hit patti"

I am more or less repeating what she said and I am not making anything up.

"No it is not right" I said

"Patti must come tomorrow!!'

"If patti comes tomorrow, you will think that what happened was right. But it is not right. So patti will not come tomorrow"

She wrapped hher arms and legs around her pillow and thought for a few seconds.

"Will patti come tomorrow tomorrow?"