Bribery Starts Early

Like every two year old, Austen does his share of whining. It's amazing how he can turn it on one moment and turn it off the next. Take for example, his latest reason to whine - putting on lotion after his bath. His dad can bathe him and he's fine with that but when it comes to putting on the lotion after his bath he breaks into his full on whining mode and insists that "Mommy do it!" Doesn't matter if I am in another room of the house busy, Austen will charge out of the bathroom in his towel to come find me. The only reprieve I get from this is if I am out walking Adler or if I am just not home. If that's the case, Austen doesn't even put up a fight and let's daddy do the lotion. That's until last night.

Whining, he finds me in his room tidying up. His dad is calling for him to come back to the bathroom so he can put on some lotion but he's insisting that I apply the lotion. Quickly, I whisper in his ear that I will give him money for his piggy bank if he lets daddy put the lotion on. Instantly, the whining stops and he hurries back to the bathroom so daddy can put on the lotion and he can get his pajamas on so he can collect his payment. Pretty proud of myself, I went to Tom's change drawer and pull out a nickel and a penny to pay Austen (shouldn't he pay him since he couldn't get him to put the lotion on?!) and I retreat to Austen's bedroom to wait for him thinking Tom never heard my bribe to Austen. But Austen gives me away by yelling "money!" when Tom finishes getting him ready and he runs to his room. Tom asks me incredulously, "You bribed him?!" "Sure," I say. "You should have thought of it first!"