Happy Halloween
Friday, October 30, 2009 at 11:25AM 
Maya and her teeth
We don't celebrate Halloween here in Nepal but I thought this picture from a few months back would be fitting.
In one of my many attempts to discipline Maya I decided to try the reward technique. I came up with a plan and decided that if she could go 5 days without cursing, spitting or biting I'd take her to the shop up the road and let her choose ANYTHING she wanted.
At the end of every day we'd talk about her behavior. I also checked in with the teacher at school at the end of each day when I went to pick her up. After a few failed attempts she was able to tally up 5 days. A very happy Maya and I held hands and walked up our little dirt road to the shop at the end of the street.
Picture this... a little shop filled with an array of any kind of colorful candy you can imagine, bubble gum, chocolate bars, cookies, toy cars, EVEN ice-pops.
Maya walked up to the counter and looked around, carefully skimming all the different treats and toys. Suddenly she pointed to something in the far left corner of the shop.
"Teeth!" she exclaimed.
"Teeth?" I asked, clearly having no idea what she was talking about. I don't even know how she spotted them.
"I want those teeth over there," she said with her impish smile pointing to a jar filled with vampire teeth.
The shop keeper and other people standing around all laughed. "She could have anything, anything she wanted, and she's choosing teeth? You don't want chocolate or candy or an ice-pop?"
"Teeth," was all she answered.
We all laughed.
Her reward for not biting, and she chose vampire teeth! Just a little bit ironic.
She always keeps me on my toes this little one.
Happy Halloween.
*To those of you in the Deerfield neighborhood... be sure to stop by my parent's house to trick-or-treat! Halloween is one of my dad's favorite holidays... Not sure what he has planned for this year but he always goes all out and has the BEST candy.
maggie doyne
Maya just last week, sans fake teethA helpful NYT piece, "When you're child is a biter" sent to me by my very sweet friend Megan who always seems to know the right thing to say/send. I liked the comments. Maya is still a biter but she's getting better!
Reader Comments (8)
oh she cracks me up.
Great storytelling! How do you find the time?
I'm reading _Half the Sky_ and between the book and your blog am convinced that after the Summit in Rotterdam in a few weeks, I should just quit life here, sell everything and raise a whole bunch of little girls!
That's not really what I'll do, it's not my particular contribution to make to the world, but ideas are taking shape for something like that *would* be the right thing for me... thanks for the inspiration!
Rebecca in Switzerland
Always enjoy your posts Maggie - but have to tell you my 5 year old is terrified of what your dad may have planned - he has already been asking for weeks if he has to go see Mr. Doyne and insists I go there with only my older son. I guess your dad really scared him a few years back and he hasn't forgotten it! (The funny thing is he gets so excited every time he seems him out on his tractor and waves like crazy to him.) Happy Halloween!
Happy Halloween! Love that picture and that story. Sadly, my little Jazlyn is sick with fever and missed the Halloween parade/party and "trunk or treating" (where the parents all back up their cars in a circle and give treats of toys/pencils/stickers--no candy--from the decorated trunks of their cars) at preschool today. I hope she is better to go out trick or treating in the neighborhood tomorrow. I still remember one Halloween that I wasn't able to trick or treat--all those years ago!!!
XOXO
Melissa
the teeth match her dupata!
Happy Halloween!...I get such a kick out of Maya...she is quite a little character...great teeth; my grandson would love them!!
maybe she is a future dentist in the making !
Nice story,
You do have ways going around kids. I have to admit. I worked with Kids for many years and in nepal. and I would have hard times doing the way you did. Great job one more time.
Always enjoyed your stories.
AL