Fight – Part 2
Only a few blinks ago my lap was her favourite place in the world. Daddy dear could do no wrong and was more powerful than Superman, Batman, Spiderman and Caveman all combined. But girls grow fast and our preteen is no exception.
As she is growing her needs for space are also growing. Till just a few years ago she would crawl out of her bed in middle of night and knock on our door. Once the door was opened she would silently snuggle between me and missus without saying a word with a hand on me and leg on her mother as if claiming that we belong to her. About 2 years ago the younger one started sleeping with her and the midnight knocks reduced with both the girls happy in each other’s company.
But suddenly about 6 months ago things took a turn once again. Every other day the younger one will knock on the door claiming the elder has pushed her out of the bed. Too tired in the night to take on a preteen we usually postponed the confrontation to next day which never came. Their mom will take them back to the room and sleep between them making sure they do not fight. Some days she will come back to our bedroom and on some she would be too exhausted and just doze off there.
Slowly the girl’s room started becoming a war zone, with territories clearly marked with no right of passage to the other party. More than us, the younger one was feeling surprised as to what has happened to her dear didi? We were both tired every single day after the midnight knocks on the door and trying to console the 4-year-old in the middle of night.
All counseling, ban on TV, chocolates, etc. had no effect on the emerging rebel in the house. At times we wondered what has gone into the two with each trying to outwit the other. In most of the confrontations the younger one will suffer due to her small size and age difference.
Sometimes things became so loud that we decided that the younger one will sleep with us just like earlier days.
“Wonderful”, claimed the elder one. “Now I will have the whole room to myself”.
“I also don’t want to sleep with you”, screamed the younger one, trying to hide behind her mother.
Good, both of us thought, end of story, we will have some peaceful nights in the house.
The first night of the new arrangement saw some action and division of pillows with each one claiming the same pillow as hers. (The pillows are exactly same and I could not find any difference, it was just that each one wanted what the other claimed to be hers).
Barbie’s were divided and a few of them made to our bedroom with the younger one.
Finally the time to go to bed came and lights were switched off. But within 10 minutes the younger one started sobbing.
“What’s the matter sweetheart”, I questioned.
“Do you have pain in tummy?”, her mother queried.
But the sobbing continued without any answer. While we were trying to calm the younger one there was a knock on the door.
What now? Missus and I both said simultaneously while opening the door.
The elder one was standing on the door. She was holding a small handmade card in her hand.
“Papa can I read this to Pinkette?”
But before we could say anything the younger one jumped out of bed and hugged her sister.
“Didi I want to sleep with you!”
The elder one hugged her even tighter and said in a choked voice –
“Even I want to sleep with you, that is the reason I made this I am sorry card for you. You can take as many Barbie dolls and books from my collection.”
Before we could say anything the girls threw a flying kiss goodnight in our direction and vanished in their room.
I and Missus had a good night’s sleep after a long time.
Peace – it is such a wonderful thing.
Sasha and Prasad Np are proud parents of 2 girls whom they fondly call Princess and Pinkette. He wears many hats after taking a break from being corner office critter for a long time. He is now an entrepreneur, blogger, photographer, traveler and a potential investor in start-ups with unique concepts especially if they are in travel related business. He blogs at Desi Traveler, and can be reached at Facebook and Twitter.