"Shut Up!" Part II

So, my audience of one, would you like to know what happened after Cate uttered those two words to Grandma?

Cate walked in the back door into the kitchen, where I was making dinner. Her head was bowed down and when I asked her how her day was, she replied: "I don't want to talk about it." She knew I knew already.

At the dinner table, I brought it up again telling her that we needed to talk about it. I explained that when the time was right, she could tell me she was ready to talk. That was agreeable to her.

I was washing dishes when she approached me and said, "I'm ready to talk about it now."

So we sat down on the sofa and she said she told Grandma to shut up, "because I didn't like what she was saying to me! She was telling me I still had to take naps after I told her then when I am five, I don't have to take naps anymore." So we talked about what the real story is about taking naps--when she is five and a half and in school, she will not have to take naps any longer. Unless, of course, she was acting like she needed a nap. Plus, whatever Grandma says she has to do, then she needs to be obedient to Grandma. She told me she was sorry and I told her that she needed to say, "I'm sorry" to Grandma the next time she saw her. I also told her I was proud of her for telling me what happened and that I hope she can tell me anything she needs to and I won't be angry with her.

Boy, it would be nice if that last bit sunk in with her. Because I am sure the teenage years are going to be a real adventure with this girl.