Maybe tonight will be different

by Carlos

Bill Cosby has a skit; I think it's called The same thing happens every night. I just thought he was kidding, but I see the skit playing out in my own house.
By 6 pm my schedule is set for the next 90 minutes. The goal; get the girls to sleep. It's quite simple in theory. Lani will go to sleep so long as it's a little quiet. Damai won't sleep unless she sure that she can't play with her sisters. So that means that Ana is the key. If I can get Ana to go to sleep first then, I can put Lani down, and Damai will slip quickly into dream land if she sees her sisters already sleeping.
By 6pm I'm trying to coax, herd, and throw all the girls into the bathroom at once. I think it saves water and time. Then, we're out and reading books.
By now, the girls are the cutest things. They're washed and smelling like baby lotion. Their hair is back and they're all in pink pajamas. They crowd onto my lap as I read them Angelina Ballerina and Dr. Seuss. Life is beautiful! I think to myself, 'I scored! They're gonna go down like... well, like babes.'
Then, I break the news; it's time to go to use the bathroom one last time and then go to sleep. Now the sight of snot running and tears ruins the moment.
Now, I have to add one thing to my goal tonight. I do not want to spank anyone. I literally fight myself not to spank THE one who will insist with every one of her actions to be spanked; Ana.
Ana begins to scream for Mommy. So, I let her run to Mommy. Mommy tells her to go to bed. Ana says, "sleep with me!" So, mommy lays down with her and 20 minutes later comes out saying, "she's rolling over me, picking my face, and jumping on me!"
Now, I bring in the 'routine.' We sit in the dark and ask her about her favorite part of the day. Then, we pray and I kiss her good night. She cries for mommy, but I tell her that it's time for bed. She needs to put her head on the pillow, be quiet and close her eyes.
If she would do just that, there would be no spanking. But she's crying and I can already tell, there's going to be a spanking tonight. I pray not to have to spank her.
I walk out. She walks out.
With a sigh, I call in the muscle; me.
With a stern voice I tell her to put her head on the pillow, be quiet and close her eyes. She goes. I thank God that I didn't spank her.
I walk away. She walks out.
"Ana, go to your bed. Put your head on the pillow, be quiet and close your eyes." Now, I have to add the threat. "If you walk out this door, I will spank you."
Really! How much clearer can I make that! I don't want to spank her. She's 2 yrs old, but can't she remember what a spanking is? Doesn't it hurt?! Doesn't she remember?!
I close the door and wait. She opens the door.
I look into her eyes, "Ana, I will spank you if you walk out this door." I wait and I watch. It's like a dream! She's looking me in the eyes and lifts her foot. She waits a moment. If I didn't watch it with my own eyes I wouldn't believe it. She puts her foot over the door line and puts her head down. What does that mean??!! Why does she put her head down??!!
It's like she wants the spanking. It's like the only thing she's upset about is that I'm getting upset over the whole thing. I almost wonder if she would simply like me to kiss her goodnight, roll her over, and spank her. I wonder if that's the service she'd like me to give her to help her go to sleep.
Anyway, I have to let loose the spanking. She cries and I'm still in disbelief. But guess what? She's asleep in 10 minutes.
It happened last night. And the night before. I wonder what will happen tonight...