THE BRIBES, THEY DO NOTHING

We are NOT upping the ante on the Great Noodle Solo Sleep Experiment.

One tricky problem with having a sooper geenius four-year-old child is that they run rings 'round you logically. Or illogically.

"No, Daddy, I only go to sleep by myself on Wednesdays."

"But you did it last night and that was Saturday."

"I've got a deal for you..."

Where did THIS come from? Here she is pitching me, even though she has never met any of the suits from my job. I went back to logic:

"I don't want any deals, darling. You had your brand-new big-girl car seat put in the car today, and big girls go to sleep all by themselves, so --"

"NOOOOOOOO!!!"

Ah, jeez.

WHEN IN DOUBT, BRIBE

So we've hit on a strategy to get Noodle to fall asleep at night, minus freakout:

Baksheesh!

If she gets to sleep by herself ten times - and it doesn't have to be ten in a row or anything fancy - she gets an extra special gift from the Nana.

Tonight, Noodle bought into the deal after a few days of kvetching and what looked like it was going to be a hairy Saturday night. Out of the blue, she tells me "I'm going to try it myself tonight, Daddy."

Yeeeesssssss.