Compromise

Anytime I ask my kids (now almost 3, 5, and 7) what they would like to eat, watch, read, play, etc, I usually get 3 different answers.  The rare occasions when they do all want the same thing, they all want to be the first one to get it.  We compromise on everything.  At times, everyone is content to take turns as long as they each get what they requested eventually.  But how do you keep everyone happy?

The short answer is that you don't.  No one who has at least one sibling is going to get his or her way all of the time (at least not in my experience), and they need to learn to accept that.  As a parent, the bigger struggle is in making sure that things are fair.   Charlotte was sick for several days this week.  When one child is sick, the needs of the other two suddenly multiply and they all want my attention at once and are very unhappy when the sick child gets more attention.  

On Wednesday, Charlotte didn't feel up to walking to pick Mason up from school so we called the school and said that he should go in the carpool line.  For those of you who know where I live, you're probably laughing - I pull out of my driveway into the carpool line.  Mason was furious, but Charlotte was sick so her needs came first that day.  Sometimes in those situations, distractions and bribery are the easiest way to keep the peace.  Starbucks to the rescue (I really don't make this stuff up).  A chai frappicino for me and chocolate milk for everyone else and we were all happily on our way to  karate.  This is a latte all moms already know, sometimes everyone needs a little chocolate to keep the peace and to keep your sanity!