A little understanding goes a long way
I
t was a typical scene in the Goldman residence: Five-year-old Tamar wasn’t ready for bed. Mom was feeling exasperated. “Tamar I’ve asked you twice already — please stop jumping on the sofa and go get your pajamas on.” Tamar protested that it wasn’t fair — everyone else got to stay up longer. Mom told Tamar that she was going to count to three and if she wasn’t off the couch by then Mom would have to take her off forcibly.
Tamar continued to jump protesting even more loudly that it wasn’t fair. Finally Mom grabbed Tamar’s arm and yanked her off the furniture. Tamar pulled hard the other way kicking and screaming. Mom threatened: “If you don’t stop this right away young lady you will lose your bedtime story. I mean it!”
Tamar sobbed louder and continued to pull in the other direction. “That’s it! No story tonight!” Mom declared.
Tamar broke loose and grabbing the small footstool; she threw it hard. Then she ran around the living room in a frenzy grabbing papers books and pillows and throwing everything all over the place. At this point Mom could take it no longer. She grasped Tamar’s little shoulders and shook her hard: “I will not stand for this behavior!” Her face contorted into a threatening snarl. “You’re going to pay for this!” she hollered as she tugged her daughter up the stairs.
