Little Birdie --- Behave!

I knew a little bird who was in his nest with his mommy. The mommy bird went off to find some worms to eat, and she told the little bird not to get out of the nest while she was gone. But the little bird didn't mind her. He jumped out of the nest and fell to the ground where a big cat got him. When I tell you to mind me, it is because I know what is best for you, just as the mommy bird did with her baby bird. When I tell you to stay in the front yard, it's because I don't want you to run in the street and get hit by a car. I love you, and I don't want anything to happen to you.

I read this story in this book while taking a bath a few nights ago. I thought this would be a great story to use with my toddler sometime. Well, sure enough opportunity awaits me to use it the very next day. I had to drop off some Pampered Chef items to a friend and they live in a town house community with a parking lot in the center. I told Lydia that she needed to walk with me to the van. However, she would not comply to this demand as she was too interested in being the "first" into the van. She had to beat her sister. Lydia is very competitive with Sophia. Thankfully, the car coming was watching and was driving slow (thank you massive speed bumps). I was not thrilled about my daughter's actions AT ALL! My first reaction ---to let my teapot steam hot steam out in a loud whistle. I was not happy. But, I tried to be calm and controlled. I grabbed her arm and pulled her away from the van to let her sister in first (because she sits in the back of the van). Little Miss Lydia was not happy too. (That makes two of us!). I sat her in her seat and remembered the story. I began to tell her the story. Her eyes were wide open and staring straight at me listening to my words. I am not sure if she was surprised from the story or that I wasn't screaming at the top of my lungs at her.
When I finished the story, Lydia responds emphatically " I help d' birdie! I get her and take her and pet her!"
Sophia in the back seat said, "Wow, mom that is a great story! Maybe then a Jaguar can come eat the cat and then a frog could eat the jaguar, well maybe not a frog but a...."

Hmmm. Oh my! I think this story worked? If anything it got their imaginations going and I didn't have to mess with screaming tantrums the entire ride home. If anything Sophia did get the implied message to the story as my husband was asking her about it later that evening.

My next step is to yell "Little Birdie" the next time any of my daughters take off and try to disregard Mommy's rules.