the Long Bribe-a-thon

The girls have been fighting over this one stupid pink baby for weeks. (Yes, they have others.) It was the baby I got for Parker when the girls were born. He gave it a bottle and played with it for a few days. Now it is the prized possession. I finally got sick of it and rather than taking it away, I said to Miranda, if you sleep 5 days in a row without screaming and crying, I will get you a new better pink baby. She was immediately intrigued. Michael, as usual, was skeptical. Miranda isn't the sharpest tool in the shed and he thought there was no way she would be able to comprehend or even remember or be able to modify her behavior even if she did. But...

After the first night with no screaming and crying, she woke up and wanted the new pink baby. We explained the rules again.

Day two, same thing. We showed her the sticker chart and the spaces left for 3, 4 and 5.

Day three, she said only 2 more left.

Day four, only one more left as she held up her finger.

And on day five, she woke up twice in the middle of the night, cried out for Mommy a few times and then went back to sleep. It was not a nightmare or a mini nightmare. She was awake, she started to freak out and then she went back to sleep. She really wanted that baby.

She woke up in the morning before the others (which never happens) and came out to find me and her new pink baby. She was thrilled and played with it the entire day.

She is now adjusting to the next 10 stickers she has to get to receive the matching baby stroller and baby swing.

Sure bribing is probably one of the lowest forms of parenting, but if I have to buy that kid a baby once a week for the rest of her life to get a good night's sleep, I say it is worth it.