A moment of victory

Any parent will tell you it's not about being in control of your child, but sometimes it is necessary to "win" in order to prove a point & show him who is in charge. My moment came this morning. Daniel has coasted for too long on the coattails of his siblings - at least in the area of picking up. He mastered the art of moving at a snail's pace or looking busy while being completely unproductive. This morning he had a dozen items strewn on his bedroom floor. I know he is fully capable of picking them up & putting them in their rightful place, but he wanted nothing to do with it. I should have had my camera (but that would have probably encouraged him). He lay prostrate on the floor, his cute little hiney high in the air, whining & moaning, "I'm too little, I'm so tired, I need Noah, I can't do it..." On and on...and on. I told him he could do it & if he would cease his whining & start picking up, I'd be glad to help him. That didn't help. He didn't quit. I didn't think you could reason rationally with a 3 year old, but I was wrong. I calmly explained to him that if he quit & picked up, he would have time to watch a cartoon. If he didn't quit, he would still have to pick up, I wouldn't help, and there would be no cartoons. The tears turned into giggles & he was finished in no time. Addison was over today & he asked her not to make a mess in his room. I smiled to myself, "Victory! Point made." Later on he disobeyed & I told him to stop. He kept on. My moment was officially over.