I am finding that four years old is really the new “terrible two”.  My daughter has turned into a kid that loves to “talk back”, say “no”, “I don’t want to” and “I am not going to”.  Where did that sweet timid girl go?

Today we were at the water park.  She decided that she didn’t want to stay anymore.  Without saying anything, she walked off.  I thought she was going to the other play structure where the older kids were.  NOPE!  She kept walking down a long, long field. 

Natara!  Natara!, I shout……nothing.

NATARA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  ……  She looks back at me in spite and then turns around and keeps on walking. 

I ran off, with my little 20 month old in sight, and grabbed Natara.  I ask, “Where are you going?”.

“I am going home” she replies.

“And how do you intend to get there if I am not ready to leave and you don’t have mommy to drive you?” I ask.

“With a stranger”, she replies.

My heart sank to the pit of my stomach as I realize that everything I have taught her is for nothing.  “WHAT???????”. 

I grabbed her by the arm as she is fighting with me “I don’t want to play.  I want to go home!!!!”.  I dragged her back to that picnic blanket and told her to sit there until we were ready to go.

I ofcourse proceeded to have the “don’t go with strangers talk” once again.  I just couldn’t believe my little girl would say something so awful.  And then to my despair, my little one took a nice #2 load in her “swimming diapers” which have the absorbancy of tissue paper.  All in all, a really fun day.

Guard your kids close, because they can disappear in the blink of an eye.