Naughty or Nice

Okay, I have to write this entry quickly because I have to start teaching piano lessons any minute. I LOVE Christmas!! Have I mentioned that before? I especially love this time of year because of my kids. One of the perks of having children during this time of year is the whole Santa Clause thing. Every parent should take advantage (as I do) of the fact that Santa is always watching to see if you are being naughty or nice. If my kids are being bratty, I remind them that Santa can see them and he knows that they are being naughty. If they do something nice, I say, "Good thing Santa was watching" to encourage them to do it again.
Well, yesterday Caroline was being . . . well . . . a monster!!! (That's what my brother calls her anyways.) I had told her several times to straighten out because Santa was watching her. She didn't care (she is kinda stubborn. . . must get it from Otto). The last straw came when I went upstairs and walked into my bonus room. The ENTIRE room was COVERED in toilet paper!!! Seriously. . . she must have used 10 rolls of toiletpaper to be that thorough. I knew that it was her because the big girls hadn't been home all day, Dustin had been asleep, and I had asked her earlier to bring me some toilet paper for our downstairs bathroom. I asked her if it was her, and she defiantly told me that she had done it. I then informed her that Santa was DEFINTATLY NOT GOING TO BRING HER ANY PRESENTS BECAUSE SHE WAS SOOOOO NAUGHTY.
Hmmmmm. . . .all of a sudden her attitude changed and she decided that she did want presents from Santa. So she started crying and telling me that she promised that she would be a good girl. I was still mad, so I told her No and that it was too late. Santa had seen her being too naughty.
Well, after I calmed down a bit we had a talk and I told her that if she wanted Santa to come she would have to clean up all of the toilet paper herself and be an extra good girl until Christmas and then MAYBE Santa MIGHT bring her a present. Caroline agreed to this and thought that it may work out for her.
Today I had to brave the roads (it was very snowy) and take the kids with me to Ikea. Both of them were really good. After we left the store, I told them how proud I was of them because they were so good and the first thing to pop out of Caroline's mouth was "Will Santa bring me toys now?" I laughed and told her that it would take a long time to convince Santa that he should bring her toys, so she needed to be good for a long time.
I honestly think that every parent should take advantage of this whole Santa thing. . . . Caroline has been an angel all day!! I wonder how much longer it will work?