Time Out!

 Armed with two of Susan's 'stuffies', I headed due east to spend some time with darling Iris. 

She is two now, and she is really beginning to express herself. She's a good natured child for the most part. Her mother and father are two very patient people who reason with her very well. When Iris becomes upset and begins lapsing into a tantrum, her very patient mama says in a very quiet voice, "Iris Lynn, do you need a time out?"

This made me laugh the four or five times that it happened. I was able to hold it together until I was out of her sight line, but it delighted me every. single. time. 

I will set the stage for one of these scenes.

Iris and I were having a tea party for her little bears and her mama said, "Iris, it is time to pick up now. It is time for bed..." and Iris, who dearly loved our little game, leapt to her feet and let out a very uncommon scream of pure two year old temper. I believe a foot stomp was involved. 

Brittani looked down and her and quietly said, "Iris Lynn. Do you need a time out?" 

And Iris stopped screaming immediately to ponder this. The answer came: "Yes," and with no further discussion, she marched herself off to the bottom step of the stairs to ponder things as her mother said, "Alexa, set timer for two minutes." 

After two minutes, I heard the quiet murmur of her mama's quiet voice as they discussed why we don't scream when we are told it is time for bed. They hugged it out, and Iris cheerfully returned to help me put her toys away while her mama heated some milk for her bedtime.

I imagine that it doesn't work all the time and I suppose the day will come when it doesn't work in a very big way, but for right now, it worked every single time. Iris always stopped immediately to ponder whether she needed that time out. If she decided that a time out was in order, she put herself in it. Her mother had only to set the time and wait it out.

I watch the president in his 'battle' with corona virus, a virus that thousands of Americans have died from. I witnessed his dramatic mask removal. I read the tweet about 'Don't be afraid of the virus! Why I feel better than I have in 20 years!' as if catching the virus might just be the cure for aging. (Ironic, isn't it, that in a way it IS, but not the way he is trying to portray it.)

I am everlastingly tired of hearing him say irresponsible things that downplay a virus that is, once again on the rise,  He's supposed to be thinking about protecting others. He's supposed to be following the rules. He's supposed to be quarantining.

I think he needs a time out. Unlike my beloved little grand daughter, he will not stop what he's doing to seriously ponder the suggestion. He will not decide his actions were in need of correction. 

Little Iris has a cookie monster mask, and when she puts it on, as adorable as she is, it breaks my heart a little to see her. But she wears that little mask without complaint. Seems like the least the president could do.