Fight Like A Girl

Like my mother before me, I've always warned Molly that some day, her little sister is going to take umbrage to being pushed around, and fight back.

In my case, I was eight or ten and my sister was four or six, and I was hassling her, and she hauled off and punched me. A straight-from-the-shoulder jab directly to my solar plexus, which taught me the meaning of "knock the wind out" and has given Mom something to laugh about for nearly twenty-five years now.

And that's what I expected Maggie would come up with. A right hook to the jaw, a sweep of the leg, a good solid pummel. The girls get really rowdy together, they wrestle and they roll and Molly doesn't hesitate to take advantage of her mental superiority and almost always initiates it, and unless it looks like it's really going to result in injury, I've been letting them work it out, knowing that any day now, Maggie's going to step up and show Molly's who's boss, and then Molly's going to learn a valuable lesson about getting physical with her sister. And it happened, finally, yesterday. But how?

Hairpulling. Big shiny clumps of golden tresses. 

It happened again today. And pinching, too. I expect scratching to happen tomorrow.

I expected Million Dollar Baby, I got Bring It On.

Anyway, letting them solve their own fighting problem isn't working out so hot. Or is it? I'm open to suggestions.

Comments

[Green]

Oh no! Does Molly have a bald spot now?

My mother was a fan of "if she hits you, you can hit her back twice as hard", said to my brother, with me in earshot. She clearly favored him, but at least I had fair warning.

I worked with a woman whose two youngest kids had roughly the same age difference as yours, and when hers would start fighting, she'd push them into the bathroom together and hold the door closed. She said within about 30 seconds they'd start laughing and she'd open the door. Sounds weird to me, but who am I to judge?

[Kateri]

Got guaze on hand? And, ice packs? 'Cause I bet you'll need them in the next couple of days, the way that Maggie is progressing!

My mother did not allow us to hit. And, I bet you can guess how that went. LOL! It doesn't matter what kind of rules you set up, one way or another, they will find a work-around to beat each other up.

[Auntie Nancy]

Your mom and I never did those sort of things. The hitting and pulling of hair is all so new to me. Like Hell it is! We're still alive to prove it. Good luck with the babies M. Love, Auntie N

[Alisyn]

Daisy vs. Violet in a hair-pulling cage match. Now that'd I'd pay to see. Should we pimp 'em out to G.L.O.W. now, or wait 'til they hit their teens...?

[Grammy]

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry over this incident. I don't want Molly to get hurt but Daisy needs to not let Moll push her around. I like the bathroom suggestion but they are a little young to understand that. However, they might at least be distracted enough to stop. Daisy is a little young to get the whole lecture thing, but Molly isn't. However, she gets going and "poof" she is in the control seat. Spanking won't work. You can't say don't hit and then hit them. I know. I tried that approach. They are still to young to scare the shit out of too. There must be something you can do for impact. Hmmm. Try Love and Logic. It goes "How sad!" (slump your shoulders down sadly) "What are YOU going to do about it?" "Will that work?" "How do you think they will react to what you do?" Maybe Molly will get it. You make her come up with the solution but it has to be something you agree with. Or eventually you suggest "what other kids have done" that you secretly approve of. Give them options.

[Auntie Nancy]

Excuse me Grammy?...They are just babies yet. We do not try to get logical with babies. They always win! It is something in the eyes. Love, Auntie N

[daionara]

Here's the way Mom handled it, if nothing got broken and there was no bleeding, then we fought it out. Not quite fair when I was the one getting pummelled by older BROTHERS, but there ya go.

Just keep an eye on it sweets. Go on instinct. You'll know if it's going to far. Personally I wonder what thier reaction would be if you just pulled up a chair to watch. They may both be expecting Mom and Dad to step in.

[Auntie Ann]

When Nick and Zach (cousins of Molly & Margaret)were 5 and 3, I finally had enough of their fighting. After naptime, the three of us were sitting around the kitchen table having milk and cookies and I told them I had decided what their punishment would be next time they fought. What mommy? they asked. It's going to COST YOU MONEY, I replied. They gasped. How much? they queried. It depends on how mad you make me, I replied. Sure enough, the next day they started a fight and Boom! I said OK, you're fighting. Each of you go to your room right now and bring me back a dollar. Which they did, obedient little kids that they were. And after that, they learned to fight where I couldn't see or hear them.

[StudentNurseJack]

LMAO at Bring it On.

I have no wisdom. My oldest is 5 years older and letting her hit would not be fair. They argue like cats some days and it drives me bat shit.

I remember my brother punching me a couple of times - hard - and me going after him like I wanted to break a bone. When I caught him, I couldn't bring myself to hurt my little brother.

Sending you loads of patience. And a virtual cocktail.

[Sky Cosby]

My twin girls are at the same stage, their fights turning somewhat ugly. I mean, once your twins get teeth there's really no going back to nice. there are just periods of nonviolence woven into the war: bite marks, scratches, pinching, the works. Whew! I've had to start enforcing "time by yourself" after the brutal assaults. Best of luck!