But I WANT a time-out!

The kidlets are on to me. I was deliberately being obnoxious and teasing them before I asked if I could have a time-out and be sent to my room for a nap. The answer was a resounding, "No!"

I swear, I spent the first couple of  decades of my life denying the pleasure that is napping, and now that I'm old enough to appreciate it, the kidlets won't let me sleep. I have begged, pleaded, thrown a temper tantrum, and flat out asked if misbehaving would get me sent to my room, but to no avail. They will not send me in for a time-out.

The most annoying part about this is that Pig Jr. informed his father that Pig needed to go to his room for a time-out. Pig is the only one in the family that actually ingests coffee and did not need a nap. But me? Nope. I am not allowed to be sent away from the kidlets. When asked, Pig Jr. informed me I had to stay out in the living room with everyone else. Only Daddy was allowed to go lie down. How about I go in with Daddy for his time-out just to make sure he was actually lying down in bed? Nope, Pig Jr. would not agree to that one. Besides, it made Daddy smirk so it probably wasn't the wisest suggestion if I just wanted a nap anyway.

After that, I tried tickling Pig Jr. in the hopes that I would be sent in for a time-out. Alas, it did not work. Technically, it backfired, since Rooster then decided she wanted my attention and to be tickled like her brother. So instead of being sent to my room to shut my eyes, I was forced to actually stay awake, alert, and tickle kidlets.

Perhaps another approach might work. I suggested everyone get sent to their rooms for time-outs. Clearly, the only one interested in that idea was me, and it honestly was not worth trying to attempt when the kidlets were actually behaving themselves. At least they were not doing anything more serious than rolling their eyes at my attempts at getting into trouble.

It wasn't until I had given up on the idea of a nap that it finally occurred to me what I should have done to guarantee a time-out. I should have annoyed my husband. After all, as the only other parent in the house, he is really the only other one able to dish out such discipline. At least I know what to do next time. Good thing I'm really good at annoying him, too, eh?