When to Stop Laughing

My daughter can be a bit of a punk. That being said I am having a hard time trying to discipline her. I tell her "no" and I try to be stern but I can't even look at her because she's so adorable and she has this mischievous grin; so when I'm trying to be serious and get her to understand that clawing off my face is bad I just want to scoop her into my arms and laugh at her expressions.

She really isn't a bad toddler. For only 14 months she's very smart. That just means that she knows what she is doing is wrong and she's trying to come up with ways to get away with what she is doing. I love her so much and I know that I need to break these habits and set the boundaries now but for goodness sake it is hard to stop laughing!

Kai likes to throw herself backwards. I'm talking the trust exercise throwing yourself into the arms of a loved one without looking type of throw yourself backwards. This little girl doesn't just gracefully fall back either. She puts power into it so that her whole back is arched and she's leading with her head. Now, I LOVE that she trusts me and Richie to catch her, and most of the time we do. Only, Kai doesn't make sure we're behind her all the time and once or twice she has hit the floor. Its gotten to the point where we're considering a helmet for her just so that she doesn't hurt herself!

Now that is the perfect time to say "no". And I do! Every single time I tell her no and try to look serious and slightly menacing to get the point across that it is a bad idea to throw herself back. But she has this adorable smile and a mouthful of teeth and she just looks to happy and innocent and the reaction I get to the word "no" is the same every time, she laughs. Big old belly laughs from my little girl and it is a fight for me to look stern.


I have learned to look away. I tell her no and don't make eye contact with her dancing little eyes. I love her trust and her spunk but I need her to learn what is right and wrong too. Its hard to love someone so much and know that you're the one they're going to learn how to behave from and just want to laugh instead of punish them. Please somebody tell me this gets easier!!