SETTING the RECORD STRAIGHT

About two months ago, no maybe longer than that, I was walking back from school with Sierra and Madison. I told Madison she could ride her Diego bike. On the way back she had a major melt down half way home. Sierra had gotten in front of her. She hates it when she is not in the lead. She was crying and screaming. I thought I will just let her throw a fit and keep walking. I thought if I get far enough ahead of her she will follow. I was about ten feet in front of her and this woman from across the street yells, "Lady, help your daughter. I know she road that bike all the way to the school. You can't make her ride it back. She is too little." She was mad. She didn't appreciate my parenting style. She didn't really know what was going on. I wasn't about to yell across the main road to explain the situation. It was easier at this point to let Madison have her way. I walked behind her and pushed her all the way home.

FAST FORWARD. Today, I was walking to school to get Sierra. Madison was riding her Diego bike again. The same lady was walking with her son to the school. (I didn't know it was the same lady.) She decided to strike up conversation, "You make her ride that bike to school a lot." I smiled. She said, "I guess it is good excercise for her." I smile. Then she said, "The other day she was riding and had a melt down and you just kept making her ride that bike." (Then I knew it was the same lady.) I didn't hold my tongue. I set the record straight. I said, "She had a melt down because her sister got in front of her, not because she was tired from riding. She begs to ride this bike to school every day." The lady was nice after that and made small talk the rest of the way to school. I was glad I was finally able to set the record straight.