I'm a Police-mom???

Last night, we took a little ride in the car. Sienna tried to stretch her body as if she wanted to stand up from her booster seat. I said, "you watch out, the policeman will not like you doing that."

Thus started a conversation about the basic law enforcement system. As she understood already that the policemen are out to get bad guys, i.e., people who hurt other people. Adding to that knowledge, I told her those bad guys will be put in jail. "What is jail?" Sienna asked. I explained that a jail is a place where the policemen keep bad guys in so that they cannot come out to hurt people.

"Oh," she nodded, "Mommy, you are the policeman." Puzzled, I went, "No, I am not, why?" She explained, "You lock me up in my room when I do something bad..." I felt so bad that she would associate me with a police figure. Still I said, "Well, then you can call me the police-woman or police-mom..." She followed her train of thoughts, "I don't want to do bad things, then you don't lock me up, right, mommy?"

I know I have to work with a reward/punishment system. But with such a wonderful and understanding little person, I deserve to be punished for punishing her in whatever form and for whatever reason...