It is finally sinking in

After a visit to Bright (Hi Fred!) I started drumming in to the girls that We Use Kind Words. Hah, as if. One day we will use kind words.

I think that day is dawning. In the bath this evening, Hazel was playing with the plug. This is OK, because they actually have two separate baths, each in their own bucket. Saves on tears, and means that no-one can pull the plug out. Anyway, Hazel had the plug, and Ivy coveted it. Did Ivy lean over and snatch it? No! Did she screech? No!

Ivy said, "Can I play with it next please?"

And did Hazel turn away in offended fury? No! Did she screech? No she did not.

Hazel calmly handed the plug over and found something else to play with.

My goodness. I sat silently, drinking it all in. Then Hazel stood up for the tenth time, in defiance of her mother's instructions, and fell over, bonking her head on the tap on the way down. Screaming, tears, misery, end of bathtime.

Still, there was a glimmer of civilised behaviour.