Stubborn by Birth and by Genetics

Mackenzie is a constant challenge to my patience. Last week I was trying to hurry her to get ready to pick up her sister at school and snapped at her when I had to ask her for a third time to hurry up. She crossed her arms, firmly planted her feet, looked me in the eye and said, "Mommy, you didn't say please!" Oh, boy. How do I teach her that there are times when a parent doesn't have to say, "please"? Then Sunday, the girls and I are finally not running late for church and calmly walking across the parking lot watching the gulls circle overhead. Mackenzie stops and announces she sees a baby one while Taylor and I plod on. Next, Mackenzie is screaming at us that we have to wait for her and to come back. It's a struggle of wits as I tell her we are walking slowly, she'll catch up, we won't leave her alone, and so on but she continues to tell us to come back. Finally I tell her I'm not going back and she can catch up if she wants to but we're going. She actually does cave and runs up only to hit me in her usual mad fashion and continues to rave. We manage to get inside and I tell the calm Taylor to get ready and go join Grammie and Grampy. Fortunate that they are usually there so I can remove Taylor from this confrontation. For fifteen minutes, I try to figure out what to do while Mackenzie rips a strip off of me. I try to time out on a nearby chair but it causes more ruckus in the attempt. I try to think of a room to use that wouldn't be a reward and is available. I can't think of one. I finally say I'll have to take her home if she doesn't start behaving. She then says she wants to go home so that threat doesn't hold any weight and I'd have to leave Taylor behind. It would also be difficult but not impossible to get a message to her to come back out or to go with Grammie and Grampy (hopefully they have room in their car or it will be a return trip for me). I also don't want to support they staying home on Sunday mornings that Daddy would so be supportive of. Somewhere in Mackenzie's tantrum she tells me, "Mommy you look silly. I want you to wear dresses." I have no idea where that came from. I know Mackenzie likes to wear dresses and skirts herself but why me? An elder comes over, someone I know well, and starts talking with Mackenzie. He tells her that next time Mommy won't walk ahead without her and it wasn't nice of Mommy to leave her behind. I don't approve of his supporting Mackenzie's side but she calms down and finally she will take off her coat and boots so we can go into the service. I'm disappointed that I missed going up front to put my change into the wooden church money bank for it being my birthday this month. This is my time and I actually remembered to bring change. Mackenzie and I excuse ourselves past two friends to get into the pew next to Grammie and Grampy. We muddle through a song and it's children's time already. Mackenzie goes up for it but is now feeling insecure after our fight and returns to me rather than going up to Sunday School. A few minutes later she wants me to take her to her class and to stay so I miss the entire sermon and arrive back in church for the final prayer. What a day. What a kid. And it's this way with her every day, some days more than others.