By Bob
December 26, 1999
For more than six years, Bonnie and I helped a single mother raise her two daughters, Sabrina from age 7 on, and Ana from birth on. Starting when Ana was only 4 months old, our goddaughters stayed overnight with us every Friday night, and whenever they were sick or their mom needed a break.
In December of 1990, when Ana was less than 2 years old, we took Ana, Sabrina, and their mom to a nearby mall, to see Santa Claus and an indoor petting zoo. Afterward, as we were getting into the car in the busy, crowded parking lot, I set Ana down so that I could unlock the car, and she suddenly took off running, out into the aisle behind our car. Luckily, there were no cars coming at the time, so she wasn't hurt, but I immediately ran back, swept her up into my arms, and gave her a swift swat to the butt, telling her "No!"
One day, when she was 3 years old, Ana was pestering Sabrina about something in my living room. I listened long enough to know that the problem was Ana's fault, not Sabrina's. I warned Ana to stop pestering her sister. A minute later, she was still doing it.
So, I told Ana that she would have to have a "time out." I put a folding chair in one corner of the living room and sat Ana on it, facing the corner. She told me over and over that she was sorry, and begged and pleaded for me to not make her have a time out, but I told her that it was very important for her to learn to listen to me because I love her very much and I know what's best for her.
I made Ana sit in that corner for the longest 2 minutes of my life. She cried and cried and cried the whole time. When the 2 minutes was up, I gave her a big hug and reminded her that I loved her very much. She stopped crying and hugged me back. I still remember how great it felt to have her tiny arms reaching around my neck.
You may not believe this; in fact, I don't really expect you to believe this, because it is pretty unbelievable; but it is absolutely true:
The two times that I've described here are the only two times that I ever had to discipline Ana in the entire 6 1/2 years that I helped raise her.