Little bear continues

Little bear was an Olympic standard whiner this morning but apparently was good at nursery so I went with him to the newsagents and got two 10p mixes - one for tonight, one for tomorrow, to try and convey the idea of not just scarfing everything at once.

However, he was on his scooter. To get home we had to cross a very busy road - it is known to be ridiculously busy and with weird traffic lights at one end that make it difficult to cross there, a very steep curve at the other end and not much distance between the two. So we stopped at the edge of the road, about half way along to give us the best chance of seeing oncoming traffic.

Little bear did not want me to carry his scooter across the road. I was firm on this, as he dawdles, gets distracted and is slower and less deft with the scooter than if I carry it. The road is incredibly busy and some of the cars really do belt round the corners, and they are on you before you know it. I couldn't take the risk. He was not happy with this idea, I allow him to go over certain roads with the scooter, why not this?

So I am standing there, missing lots of gaps in the traffic (tea time rush hour) trying to explain to little bear that it is just because of safety. Then he can scoot his scooter. To my absolute horror he just strides out into the road - I grab him just before a car whizzes past! So no sweets tonight.

Woe, woe and thrice woe, it wasn't fair, he was being good now. In fact he repeatedly told me that he wanted to be good. I told him I was pleased to hear it but he still wasn't getting sweets tonight.

He managed a few stray pieces of chip before wailing that he had eaten his tea, he wanted his sweets. OH and I stayed firm.

Then the bedtime battle began. We managed to get him into pyjamas, teeth brushed, stories read. Then he told us that he needed ear drops and medsin. 'You don't need medicine.' I said. 'You're hardly coughing at all.' Little bear looked at me soulfully and managed quite a convincing cough. As as far as I can tell there are no actual active ingredients in the cough medicine, just a soothing syrup, I decided to go with it.

So I went to fetch the ear drops and the mandatory honey, telling OH what I was doing. Little bear asked what mandatreat meant. I said that in this case it was honey. 'I no like honey,' little bear said, completely ignoring the last few honey-addicted weeks. 'I love sweets.'

No sweets, OH and I remained firm. There was a wailing, a gnashing of teeth and a splendid stampy tantrum before he conceded that he would tolerate some honey.

He also managed one of the most screaming and shouting tantrums he has managed so far (with subsequent coughing - medsin not working he told us) because he got upset he couldn't reach the light to switch it off by himself. OH and I stood firm, but he had a huge cuddle after and a few extra songs. He was silent within ten minutes of us going downstairs.

I feel like I have battle fatigue.