just say your sorry!

Let's start this off with the fact that I really do love being a mom, but I sometimes hate the "perks" that come with it. Today was a slow morning and I spent it cleaning, doing laundry, etc...and then my friend Shirlyn called and invited us to walk to Macey's with her. I gladly accpeted the distraction and told her we would get ready. During this less than 2 minute converstation Hailey wacked Preston in the head. I put her in time out in the corner and when I got off the phone got her out of time out and told her that she needed to tell Preston sorry. She gave him a love but wouldn't say the word, so it was back to time out in the corner. I got her out, told her it is not nice to hit and told her to tell her brother sorry. She refused, so I put her in her crib to think it over. She screamed for Mommy and then Daddy, anyone to come and save her. I went and got her, again the girl is stubborn and refused to say sorry, so it was back to sitting in her crib. Got her out, and again, nothing! I put her back, went and got her again, explaining to her why we have to say sorry but thinking that she has probably totally forgotten that she even hit her brother. At this point it was getting the principle of the matter, that I was telling her to say sorry and she wouldn't! I told her our friends were coming over to walk to Macey's with us, and then at the point she started screaming to go. I told her we have to say sorry before we could go. She screamed louder and I counted down from three, no sorry! Shirlyn came over and her 4 year old daughter, Kailey, tried to get her to say sorry, even teaching her how to sign it. At this poing I probably would have accepted it if she would have signed it. But nothing. Shirlyn proceeded to leave and I told Hailey they were leaving without us because she couldn't say sorry. She sees them walking away, her chance for ice cream walking away with them and in desperation I see her body squrim and she blurts out; "SORRY!" Ah! Victory! Score one for mom! I was going nuts, I wanted to go more than she did.So thankfully she said that one little word that took her a half hour ordeal of screaming. Oh the joys of being a mom and having to stick to your guns over one little 5 letter word. It made me think though, how many times am I stubborn and I don't want to say sorry either. (hmm, I wonder where she gets that stubborness??probably from her dad.) I have resolved to be better about saying sorry more promptly when I am in the wrong. I am grateful for those little life lessons I learn from my toddler.