“That means it’s time to go shopping,” April told her. “It will be nice to get out of the house and stretch our legs.”
“No,” Bo yelled. “I’m not finished with my airship.”
“But we have to go now,” April said calmly. “That way, we’ll be back in time for lunch.”
“No,” Bo shrieked at the top of her lungs. “No, no, no.”
April was a little surprised at the suddenness of the tantrum, but she knew she wasn’t supposed to give in and reinforce the bad behavior.
Thank the stars I read that manual last night.
“You have a choice,” she told Bo in a cool, clear voice. “We can put away your blocks now. Or we can leave them out so we can finish your airship after lunch. Which do you choose?”
Bo leapt up and stamped her little foot.
“Are you saying you want to leave them out?” April asked.
Before she could understand what was happening, Bo had kicked over the airship she had spent all morning working on.
“Why did you do that?” April asked, trying to hide her surprise. “You worked so hard on that.”
“I don’t want to go to the store,” Bo said.
“We need to go to the store,” April told her. “Whether or not to go is not a choice.”
“Can we take an airship?” Bo asked.
Sweet Gods.
“No, we need fresh air and exercise,” April told her. “We’re going to walk.”
“I won’t go,” Bo yelled, demolishing the rest of the little airship.
“I guess I could go by myself,” April fibbed, deciding not to reward the destruction by remarking on it. “But there will be no one there to remind me to get more jam, and we’re almost out.”
Bo stopped stomping, her eyes widening.
“And even if I remember, what if I choose the wrong jam?” April wondered out loud.
“What do you mean?” Bo demanded in her regular voice, forgetting to be angry.
“There are like a million kinds of jam,” April said. “What if I forget you like uva-berry and I get you luxxberry or apricot?”
“There’s no such thing as apricot jam,” Bo said uncertainly.
“Of course there is,” April said. “Haven’t you ever gone to pick out your own jam before?”
“I can pick?” Bo said, sounding decidedly interested.
“Of course,” April said.
“Okay, I’ll go,” Bo said, marching out the door as if April were the one holding her up instead of the other way around.
April scrambled up, determined to reward Bo’s change in attitude.
The abruptness of the little one’s mood swings reminded her of someone else who lived in the penthouse.
I have to stay calm and model good behavior for her,April told herself. I will be a rock, so she can see it’s okay to relax.