"Tell Me a Story!"

Samantha was just enjoying some alone time with me. Maggie and Gavin decided to take an early nap.

At first, Samantha was enjoying playing with all the Mickey characters that Maggie tends to hoard for herself at all hours of the day.

However, then Samantha made her own little space on the couch, and said, "Mommy, tell me a story."

- "like a fairy tale?"
- "yup. a good princess one."

... So I thought about it. Maybe, just maybe, we'd get a lesson out of it.

"There once was a princess named Samantha. All day, she'd say, 'Mommy, get me chocolate milk! Mommy, get me gold fish! Mommy get me this! Mommy get me that!' Never did she say please or thank you. Princess Samantha's mommy would remind her to use her manners, and only then would Princess Samantha say please or thank you. Her mommy's feelings would get very hurt, and she wondered if Princess Samantha would ever use her manners without being reminded."

... Samantha interrupts.

"Mommy, I get it. This story isn't as good as Tangled."

- "Oh, what do you get?"
- "Princess Samantha didn't say please or thank you."
- "Yes, and her mommy was very sad because she didn't. Are you like Princess Samantha sometimes?"
... Samantha paused for a minute.
- "No, I'm Queen Samantha! And Queen Samantha thinks next time you should just tell a Tangled story."
... Another pause. "Please."
... One more pause. "Oh, and thank you. I love you, Mommy."

Lesson learned?

Melissa