Desperate times call for: LOVE & LOGIC

I am reading "Love & Logic" in hopes that I can become a better parent to Anna. She needs more structure, less yelling, more consistancy and more freedom. Anna is not a dog, I know this, so don't get up in arms about the anaolgy to follow. I took my dog Bear for training b/c he would not walk on a leash, would growl at anything around. It turned out I needed more training than he did. So I think this holds true for Anna too. I need to be more patient with her, more consistant, more interactive with her. Basically, I need to give her more of my time. Well not really time b/c I spend a ton of time with her. My attention. I need to be more focused on her.

So last night we went to Borders to pick up my Love and Logic book and I bought her some fun sticker workbooks. So I found the workbooks on SALE and I had a 25% off coupon on my entire order. 6 work books 18.00. Sweet! So we go upstairs to look at the Melissa and Doug stuff b/c I love the stuff and was hoping they had different stuff than my normal Borders. Anna grabs a toy, I tell her put it back. She does, only to grab another toy. I count to 3, I pry it from her hands. She latches onto another toy and in the process rips the plastic. So I calmly pick her up and cary her screaming away. 5 feet or so, she gets down holds my hand, I get her to say sorry and we walk calmly down stairs. All the while an older Gentleman is trying desperately not to laugh, but is smiling from ear to ear. In line she wants to touch EVERYTHING...So I let her hold one of her books. It WORKS. Yes!!!!! Now this is patient good parenting....For almost 30 seconds it works. Well crap! If is finally our turn and she has space so she twirls.... twirls... I let her twirl until someone needs to walk by and then I let her twirl again. Some may say, she is misbehaving. NOPE. I did not tell her not to twirl. She is not yelling or throwing a tantrum...just twirling. I am honestly wondering what others are thinking, but still I let her twirl. We pay, we gather our stuff and out the door we go. A lady behind us walks out and says.. "She is adorable!" Anna says, "YEP". I say, "annA..." She screams, "Thank you!"