The Middle Name

We all know there's a mystical power contained in one's middle name. When it's strung together with one's formal first name it generally implies, "Look out! Trouble ahead!"

Today Libby was on the go. She's discovered the power button on the TV and enjoys flicking the set on and off and on and off and on, etc.. Izak has taken to shouting her name when she interrupts his video viewing, "Yibby!!! NO!!!" To which Libby usually begin to cry. Neither one of my children respond well to yelling. To thwart the tear/frustration fest that spirals out of said difficulties I've begun to do two things:
1) I try to redirect Libby's behavior by encouraging her to turn the set back on. "Liberty Kathryn, turn the TV on." Said firmly, without yelling, but clear instructions (which she sometimes gets and sometimes ignores). This is also to benefit her brother so he can model the phrase back to her. "Yibby, turn it on!"
2) I try to address the heightened tone of his voice by getting his attention, "Izak... we don't yell at sister. Izak..." This phrase is issued with a foreboding tone, one which could land you in a time-out if you don't pick up on the seriousness of the message. But today the conversation took a slightly different spin.

Click. (TV is turned off.)

(Mommy, firmly) "Libby... Liberty Kathryn, turn the TV on, please."

(Izak, hollering from the couch) "Yibby! YIBBY!!! NO!!!"

(Libby looks over her should at brother, chin quivers, tears well up.)

(Mommy, warning) "Izak..."

(Izak, echoing tone) "Izak Kathryn..."


I think he got the point.