The resident Diplomat

In the past 2 weeks, we have seen some change in peapod in terms of her strategy in handling mumma and daddy. Untill 2 weeks back I was at my wits end with the endless whining for no particular reason, screaming for absolutely non-negotiable stuffs and tantrums at the most inappropriate moment. Our own reactions to these went from getting irritated, screaming back, time-outs, a couple of whacks and then just plain ignoring. And mom tells me she is this devilish self only with us, she has been pretty good with mom, my sister, my cousin & baby Neil.

This monstrous behaviour seems to have disappeared over night. She is in a mood to have a dialogue, she is ready to negotiate, she is ready to listen and ask more. Sometimes looks like she is just out of some training class about "How to handle your parents" and she is doing pretty well with it.

Here are a few examples

This one brings up Jesus and sharing in one sentence to just shut us up.
Mumma: Peapod have your milk
Peapod: Is it hot?
M: No, its just right, you can have it now
Peapod: If I drink milk, Will that give me strength?
M: yes baby
P: Keep it on the table, I will drink it
M: We have to leave, just finish it soon
P: Jesus will punish me if I finish it, I will share

This one was the diplomatic approach
Dada: Peapod, come here
Peapod(in a different room): Dada, peapod will come, okay?
D: ok, come fast
Peapod: peapod will come
While the Dada and mumma were getting amused, she never turned up. she probably realized this was so much better than yelling "No"

Here is how you can negotiate
She was seen standing on the balcony one morning and trying to fly and negotiate terms with a birdie.
Peapod: Birdie, come here and take me
(after waiting for a while)
P: Do you want chocolate?
(After no response for a while)
P: Do you want time out?

Here is an another way of losing an argument without making it look so and infact making it look like she is doing me a favour
Mumma: Wear your shoes fast, mumma has to go to office
Peapod: I want to watch cartoons
Mumma: we can do that in the evening, I am getting late.
Peapod: I want to watch now
Mumma: OK then, I am just going to go and you can stay here all alone. I will tell Ammachy you did not come
Peapod: Mumma, do you have to go to office?
Mumma: Yes
Peapod: Ammachy will cry if I don't go
Mumma: Yes
Peapod: Peapod just forgot, I will wear my shoes and come, ok


She speaks good malayalam with the perfect tense. Some of the words are not pronounced very clearly, but still perfect sentences. Her questions have gone up exponentially. I have already started kicking myself for not paying attention in school. She also has got my mom's mallu accent. There is a "Tondy" instead of Twenty, "Kai-sa laga", "ungle" for uncle and a "ellow" for yellow and sorts. We are ROTFL every time one of these gems come rolling. There is never a dull moment in the peapod-dom.