OK, please don't laugh at me...

[atlbaby]

Arielle is controlling our electricity use! Seriously, she has become *obsessed* with having the lights on ALL THE TIME! In brilliant sunshine. It started out with her noticing when we turn on lights, but lately if they are off she points at the ceiling and cries and whines until we turn them on! Now we live in a bright apartment and it is basically light all day, and you wouldn't need lights on even if it's cloudy. It's the worst in the kitchen while I'm trying to get her to eat--if the light isn't on she won't! It's not like I am worried about our electric bill or anything, I just hate that a 16 month old is forcing me to turn on lights! Ok, she's not forcing me, but I can't take the crying about it! I don't want to make her upset, but this seems a bit OCD to me so I don't know if I should be encouraging it? Has anyone else had something like this go on with them?

Ok, you can laugh now...

-Rachel
Mom to Arielle Jill, 10/30/01
#2:) EDD 10/24/03

[flagger]

Hahhahahahhahahahahhah!

Ok don't feel bad. My dogs have been controlling me since I brought them home. One will pace until the other dog is out of her place on the couch and requires that a human be between her and another dog.

Welcome to the wonderful world of wrapped around your finger.

:)

[Shirale]

:-) Cute but funny!!! These kids are really too much! Amira is obsessed with the phone, pretends every toy she has is a phoen and talks on it- and cries if I talk on the phone without giving it to her...maybe it is a sign that I talk too much?! Oh well....

[egoldber]

Maybe you could make it her "very special job" to turn off the light. And ONLY she can do it, because she is "such a big girl!!!"

You never know, it could work. :)

[brubeck]

You think YOU have problems! My 28 month old daughter recently got tall enough to flick our light switches. Now I enter rooms and discover that the light is on (and has been for Goodness knows how long) because my daughter thought it was fun to run around the house and turn on lights. I also get the 'disco lights' when I am trying to do things in the kitchen, and one night she even ran into the bathroom when I was in the shower and turned out the lights on me. Fortunately she responded to a strong, "Lights on!" command from me or the floor would have been a dripping mess! :-)

The only thing that seems to have curbed my daughter's taste for it is that one day she accidentally turned on the fan in the bathroom. It's a little loud, and sounds like the vacuum cleaner (which she is afraid of) and scared her out of her wits because she wasn't expecting it. She's been a little more cautious about unknown switches since then. Could you subtly flick on the fan over the oven in the kitchen instead of the light switch? It might work with your daughter too.

[Annette_C]

Rachel,
I understand how you feel since Sabrina has the same obsession. She especially likes the lights on when she's eating, just like Arielle.
Even at my parent's house (they have a Capodimonte chandelier which DD loves), Sabrina makes sure that they turn it on for her.
I was hoping she'd grow out of it but now, after your post, I'm not so sure anymore! LOL

Annette
SAHM to Sabrina 6/24/02

[atlbaby]

Thanks for understanding, guys! I love how I can ask the most random things and have others say "I hear you"!!:)

I will try the stove fan light--Arielle is terrified of the vacum cleaner, so that may deter her.

And I will also try giving her her own "special big girl job" of turning off the lights. I already do this in the bathroom where we look in the mirror in the morning, and she seems to enjoy flicking the switch (or thinking she is).

And Annette, I'm sorry to take away your hope that Sabrina may outgrow this--but maybe she will since Arielle only recently developed the obsession. Maybe it's a short lived thing?

-Rachel
Mom to Arielle Jill, 10/30/01
#2:) EDD 10/24/03