Isabella was very excited the day we took the harness belt out of her car seat and she was allowed to sit in the car seat with a regular belt. Whooo hoooo...big girl status was reached!!! It's a milestone for a 4 year old.
The problem we've recently been having is she likes to take the shoulder belt and put it UNDER her arm instead of over the top of her shoulder. It doesn't bother her or cut into her neck or anything. She just likes to be able to reach "stuff" around her...especially the window controls. I don't mind the reaching stuff. I do mind not having the buckle on properly.
On today's trip to the dr for McKenzie...in Salt Lake, I had to get after Bella at least 5 times about keeping the belt on the safe way. I have explained. I have threatened. I have cajoled. I have demanded...but that darn belt does not stay where it was meant to be.
We have a "spanking offenses rule" in our family...since Chelsea was a toddler. It is this: You get a spanking if you do something that can hurt you or someone else. That's the rule. You know...for running out in the street. Punching your cousin and knocking his tooth out. Jumping off the top bunk. Dangerous stuff. Not wearing your seltbelt sort of falls into the "can hurt you" category. I explained this to Bella and that the consequence of not having it on properly was a spanking. She didn't get it because withing 10 minutes the belt was under her arm again. GAH!!!
We had about 10 minutes until we reached home. I told her that when we got home I was going to have to spank her for not having the belt on. She's never had a spanking before. She started crying and apologizing and trying to bribe me. The whole time I'm thinking, "WHY couldn't she have kept that darn belt on? WHY, oh why? I don't want to spank her". I almost joined in with her tears. Don't they understand we don't want to punish them?
We pulled up in the driveway and she asks me if she can go potty before she gets a spanking. (She didn't really have to go). As I get out of my buckle she hands up a big beautiful white rock she "collected" earlier in the day. She asked if she gave me her rock if I would not punish her. SHEEESH! I got her out of her seat and we had a heart to heart right there at the car. I didn't want to spank my baby. I briefly wondered if Steve would be home soon so he could do it. I figured I better get it over with so she wouldn't have to suffer. Because, frankly, the thought of it is worse than what is usually given. So...I sort of swatted her behind. More like a little tap on the bottom while I was hugging her. I just couldn't bring myself to make it hurt.
I'm hoping that was enough to make her think.
Although, I could hear her brain saying, "THAT'S it? I worried and cried for THAT? This spanking rule is CAKE!!"
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