Share. I said share. SHARE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So Tanner has mastered the art of manipulation.

Of course, he gets it honestly.

His sister is a master manipulator ... I taught it to her when Tanner was very small.  So I guess it's my fault.  But it just seemed easier to teach her that, if Tanner had something she wanted to play with, she should just provide a distraction ... something else for him to play with.  Then he would have something, she would have something, and they would both be happy.

Naturally, this has carried over to our every day life, 3 years later.  I still hear Kendall saying things like, "Tanner, I've got your lo-vey ..."  And I hear Tanner reply with, "Here, Sissy, want to trade?"

She's a sly little thing, hunh?

I know, it's a terrible thing to teach my kids.  But it worked when I was just trying to get by.

And now it's coming back to bite me in the butt.

Big time.

Because now Tanner has someone he can manipulate.  Unfortunately for Tanner, Brady is an only child and impossible to manipulate.  He knows what he wants, and he's not willing to give it up without a fight.  (Hmmm, sounds like another little boy I know.)  Anyhow, this has made for ridiculously crazy days at our house as of late.

I know, I hear what you're saying.  "Keisha, all you ever talk about anymore is Tanner and his grouchies."

But it's true.  Ask Tim.  He will vouch for me!  I tell you, it's like night and day.  When he's getting his way, he's an angel.  When someone else touches something that belongs to him, all bets are off and the demon comes out of its cage!

So I'm open to suggestions.  I don't know how to teach Tanner how to share.  And I've said it until I'm blue in the face (and hoarse in the throat).  But it doesn't matter.

Then today I actually heard myself saying, "Well Tanner, if you want the train then find something Brady would like.  Then ask him to trade."

Oh, Keisha, why have you done this to yourself?  Why is it so hard for me to just take it away from Tanner and listen to him cry?  He's going to have to learn to share eventually, right?

This parenting stuff is too hard.

I quit.