Saturday brought one too many whine.
One too many tears.
Way too many sour words.

So I took the toys.
All of them.

I let them keep the books.
Because I just can’t take away the books.

Stashed in the closet, they may have one back at a time.
If they can prove that they can handle one toy each, they can get another the next day.

I feel like the meanest.mom.ever.
But their behavior has been fantastic.

They spent hours playing outside yesterday.
I didn’t take those toys away.

And for their first toy to get back?
They all chose something they could share: Legos, the car track, the fairies.
And though I am still frustrated that I had to do it,
It makes my heart smile that they picked something to share.