When to sweat the small stuff

Nicky, the tiger pirate

At some point last year, my kids came in with "tiger stripes" drawn on their faces and arms with pen. Nicky's markings bore some semblance to tiger stripes, while Laney had just covered her face in green marker. They were supposed to be drawing on paper, while I went in to the kitchen to finish the morning dishes and grab a cup of coffee. I didn't want to make a big deal about it. Kids do these things, right?I just said they shouldn't draw on their skin. Blah. Blah. And since it's Mommy who throws the vast majority of temper tantrums in this house, sometimes I just have to let these things go.

It's always the wrong stuff. . .

The problem is that over the next several months, the kids would come in looking like "tigers," pen marks drawn all over their faces and bodies. What could I do? I couldn't suddenly throw a fit when it was no big deal before. Now, a year later, Nicky has outgrown this phase for the most part. Laney, on the other hand, has taken to coloring in her nails (and fingers) with Sharpie markers. Have you ever tried to get Sharpie marker off of baby nails? What a nightmare.

Just hide the markers, you say? OF COURSE, I will hide the markers...and all the pens...and all the pencils...and all other writing implements. However, I'm telling you now, the only thing this guarantees is that some day in the not-so-distant future, I will need to send a box somewhere and will be tearing through the house trying to find those damn Sharpies, having completely forgotten where I've hidden them.

I guess the upside is that while I'm banging drawers open and closed, running up and down the steps for the 15th time thinking "I KNOW I put them in the desk, dammit," Laney will have found said Sharpie markers and be sitting quietly someplace "painting" her nails.