Generous Geneva

    "That's mine!" shrieked Geneva Withers grabbing a toy out of her little sister, Mya's hands.

Mya began to cry.  Mommy scooped her up in her arms. She gave Geneva an angry look. "Why can't you share with your sister?" she asked. "She wasn't hurting the toy."

"But it's mine." replied Geneva as if that were explaination enough.

Mommy frowned. "Geneva," she replied in a voice that was filled with disappointment. "It's nice to share. It's nice to be generous." She shook her head sadly at Geneva.

Geneva looked at the ground. "I'm sorry." she said and she really was, well not so much that she had taken the toy away from Mya, but that Mommy was disappointed in her.  She hated to disappoint Mommy. She wanted to make Mommy proud.  "Okay, Mommy."declared Geneva. "I'll share. I'll be generous."

That night at dinner. Geneva dumped her peas onto Mya's plate.

"Geneva?" inquired Daddy. "Why are you putting food your on your sister's plate?"

Geneva smiled brightly. "I'm sharing." she replied proudly. "I'm being generous."

"You need to eat your own food. Giving your little sister the food you don't like is not being generous." said Mommy.

"But, she likes them see." replied Geneva pointing to Mya who was happily scooping up fistfuls of peas.

"She has her own food, Geneva." declared Mommy. "You eat yours."

Daddy nodded in agreement. "You need to take back your peas back and eat them yourself." he advised sternly.

Geneva sighed. She took her spoon and scooped her peas off Mya's plate and back onto her own.

The next day, Geneva went through her toys. She gathered up all the broken ones that she didn't want anymore and carried them to Mya's room. "Here, these are for you." she told her little sister. Mya smiled happily and grabbed on to a stuffed lamb with hardly any stuffing left in it.

Geneva proudly went back to her own room pleased with how generous she was. That is until, she heard Mommy's angry voice shouting "Geneva!"

Geneva slowly went back to Mya's room. Mommy sounded really angry, and Geneva wasn't anxious to face her. Geneva didn't understand why she was so angry when Geneva was just trying to be generous like Mommy wanted.

Mommy frowned as Geneva entered the room. She looked even angrier than Geneva expected. "Why is Mya playing with a bunch of broken toys?" asked Mommy.

Geneva didn't understand why Mommy was so unhappy with her.  Maybe, when Geneva explained Mommy would understand and her anger would go away."I gave Mya all my old toys." she explained smiling  proudly at Mommy.

However, Mommy didn't seem any less angry. She just shook her head, at Geneva and asked. "Is it nice to give somebody broken toys? Would you want broken toys?"

Geneva frowned and shook her head no. "I was just trying to be generous like you wanted me to."she explained.

Mommy frowned back and sadly shook her head again. "Giving somebody your old broken toys is not being generous." she stated.

Geneva shook her head and sighed. She had disappointed Mommy again. She felt as if she was going to cry. She sure wasn't good at this being generous stuff.

"Being generous is not about giving others things you don't want. Being generous is about giving other people things they would want." Mommy explained in a much softer tone. She knew that Geneva wasn't purposely trying to be mean to her sister.

Geneva nodded thoughtfully.

The next day, Geneva was sitting at the table eating a box of cookies and watching TV when Mya wandered over to her. Mya pointed to the cookie  Geneva was eating and tried to grab for it. Geneva reached into the box and handed one to her sister. Mya took it eagerly and happily put it into her mouth.

Just then, Geneva saw Mommy watching her from the doorway, and she instantly froze. Was she doing something wrong again? She quickly glanced up at Mommy and noticed that this time Mommy was smiling.

"I'm proud of you, Geneva. I know that animal crackers are your favorite, and you still shared with your sister."

"Now, am I being generous?" asked Geneva hopefully.

"Yes," replied Mommy smiling at Geneva. "Now, you're being generous."

Geneva smiled. She loved when Mommy was proud of her.

Almost Ready

Juliette Yarrow never came right away when anyone called her.  At first, she wouldn't even say anything at all. She would just stay where she was and finish what she was doing. That really made Mommy and Daddy mad so she learned to say "I'm coming!" as soon as she was called, but she really wasn't. She was never ready when they called her. She was almost ready, and she wouldn't go until she was ready.

Juliette was reading a book in her room when her mother called her. She sighed unhappily. Her book was so good, and she was right in the middle of a chapter. "I'm coming!" she called quickly, but she continued to read her book. She was almost ready. She would go down when she finished her chapter.

After about ten minutes, Juliette went downstairs. "What's going on?" she casually asked her mom.

Mom frowned at her. "Look who decided to show up." she replied sarcastically.

"I was in the middle of something." Juliette explained.

Mom just shook her head. It was always the same with Juliette. She could not be bothered to come when anyone called.  "Well, it's too late now." replied Mom. "Grandma was here and she took Jessa for ice cream." Jessa was Juliette's little sister.

"She did?!" exclaimed Juliette indignantly. "Why didn't she take me?"

"I called you, but you didn't come."

Juliette frowned "Are they going to bring me ice cream?" she asked. Her mother didn't know the answer to that question.

A little later, Grandma and Jessa arrived home. Jessa's face was covered with chocolate and cookie crumbs.

"It looks like you had a good time." Mommy said with a smile.

Jessa smiled back. "I did." she said happily bobbing her head up and down. "I had cookies and cream and chocolate ice cream. It was delicious."

"Did you bring me any?" asked Juliette jealously.

Jessa shook her head.

"I'm sorry." replied Grandma. "I didn't know you were home."

Juliette glared at Jessa and then at Mommy. They both knew she was home.

Mommy just shook her head. "You didn't come when I called." she replied.

Juliette sighed as Grandma kissed her and Jessa and left.

Juliette still had not learned her lesson. A few days later, Mom called both Juliette and Jessa from downstairs. Jessa noisily hurried down the stairs. Juliette was lying on Mommy's bed watching one of her favorite TV shows. She was right in the middle of an episode and did not want to leave before it was over. "I'm coming." she called back. She was almost ready, and she would go soon.

A little while later, she went downstairs. Jessa was handing Mommy a bowl and a spoon. "What are you doing?" asked Juliette.

"I helped Mommy make a cake for the bake sale, and she let me lick the bowl." replied Jessa proudly.

"Did you save me any?" asked Juliette.

Jessa shook her head no.  "You weren't here." she replied as Mommy nodded in agreement.

Juliette frowned.

The next day, Uncle Barney came by. When Mommy called, Juliette she was in the middle of drawing a picture. By the time, she finished and went downstairs. Uncle Barney was gone.  Jessa was still there though with a five dollar bill clutched in her hand. "Look what, Uncle Barney gave me!" she bragged excitedly.

Juliette frowned with a mixture of jealousy and sadness. She was so tired of missing out on everything.

The next time, Mommy called her Juliette came right away. She came so quickly she arrived almost before Mommy finished calling her name. This time Mommy wanted someone to go with Daddy to the supermarket. "I'll go." Juliette volunteered. Jessa was nowhere around anyway.

When Daddy and Juliette came back from the supermarket. Her mouth was full.

"What are you chewing?" Jessa demanded to know.

"Daddy got me a pack of gum at the supermarket." replied Juliette.

"Did he get me any?" asked Jessa.

Juliette shook her head no. "You weren't there." she replied.

Blossom and the Babysitter

Blossom Everly was 8 years old, and she did not want a babysitter. "Do you have to go?" she asked her mother for about the tenth time.

Her mother nodded and smiled at her. "Yes." she replied. "You know Daddy and I have to go to a dinner with Daddy's boss and his wife."

"Can't I go with you?" suggested Blossom eagerly as if that were the perfect solution and just nobody had thought of it yet.

Mommy shook her head. "I'm afraid not. It's just for grownups." Blossom sadly looked at the ground. "Don't worry." Mommy added seeing Blossom's sad face. "By the time you wake up in the morning, we'll be home." she declared.

Just then Daddy arrived home with an unfamiliar teenage girl. Blossom frowned at the girl, but the girl smiled back at her.

"Hi." said the girl happily. "I'm Geena Grasso. You must be Blossom." Blossom didn't reply. She just looked away.

Mommy and Daddy kissed Blossom on their way out the door. "Be good." said Mommy.

"Have fun." said Daddy.

After Mommy and Daddy left, Geena asked Blossom. "So what would you like to do?"

Blossom ignored her. She just sat down on the living room couch and started trying to braid her hair,

"You have really pretty hair." Geena told her. Blossom still ignored her.

"You should put your hair in a French braid." suggested Geena.

"I don't know how to do a French braid." replied Blossom unhappily.

"I could do it for you." offered Geena. She sat down on the couch next to Blossom and began braiding Blossom's hair. Blossom still didn't want to like Geena, but she really wanted her hair to be French braided so she just said quietly and let Geena braid her hair.

Geena quickly finished braiding. "There." she announced when she was done. "Here, let me take a picture so you can see it." She quickly snapped a picture on her cellphone and showed it to Blossom.

Blossom smiled. She had to admit it looked really pretty. "Thanks." she said happily. She was starting to warm up to Geena just a little bit.

Geena started talking about a character on a TV show that had a braid like Blossom's.

"That's one of my favorite shows!" exclaimed Blossom.

"Mine too." replied Geena.

They began talking about the show. Then they began talking about other shows. Then books,and before she knew it, Blossom had had a whole conversation with Geena. It turned out Geena liked a lot of the same things when she was a little girl that Blossom liked now. They talked so much that Blossom's throat got dry. "I'm thirsty." she declared, "And I'm hungry too." she added.

"Then, let's have a snack." said Geena.  Blossom was reluctant. Mommy usually didn't let her snack so late. "Don't worry." Geena assured her. "It will be our little secret." Blossom smiled. She liked having a secret with Geena.

They went into the kitchen and found some cheese and crackers and juice and brought them into the living room and ate in front of the TV. Afterwards, they cleaned up. Then, Geena played games with Blossom for an hour.

Before, they knew it. It was Blossom's bedtime. Geena let her stay up an extra hour and read her stories. Finally, it was time for Blossom to go to bed. Geena tucked her in bed and turned out the light. "I'm really glad you came to babysit me tonight." Blossom told her.

"I'm really glad too." replied Geena.

The next morning when Blossom woke up, Mommy and Daddy were back. "I guess you survived having a babysitter." Daddy teased her.

"We were back by the time you woke up just like we promised." declared Mommy.

"Can you go away again tonight, and can Geena babysit me again?" asked Blossom eagerly.

Uncle Donald's Farm

Frankie Zucker was so excited to be going to her Uncle Donald's farm. She had never been to the farm, and she just loved animals. "We are going to see horses, and cows and sheep and pigs." she gushed to her baby sister. Flora on the car ride over. Flora didn't reply but smiled warmly at her sister happy to have Frankie's attention.

When the arrived at the farm, Frankie happily rushed out of the car. Mommy and Daddy laughed at her eagerness. They carefully took Flora out of her car seat and hurried after Frankie.

"What are we going to see first?" Frankie eagerly asked her Uncle.

Uncle Donald smiled at Frankie's enthusiasm."I thought we'd visit the horses first." he declared. He led them to the back paddock where the horses were running around. There was a big white horse and a smaller black one.

"Oh they're so pretty!" cried Frankie.

"Flora, what does a horse say?" asked Mommy.

"Moo!" shouted Flora.

Mommy, Daddy, Frankie and Uncle Donald all laughed. "Horses say neigh." Frankie told her little sister.

Next they visited, the pigs there was a mommy pig and a bunch of little baby pigs. The little pigs were all feeding from their mother. "They're so cute!" exclaimed Frankie. "Can I have a pig?" she asked giving her mother a pleading look.

"No." replied her mother sternly. "Cute little pigs grow into great big pigs. Our house isn't big enough for a pig. Sometimes, it's barely big enough for you, Daddy, Flora and I.

Frankie frowned. Sometimes. she would rather have a pig than her sister,  but not always.

"Flora, what does a pig say?" asked Daddy.

"Moo!" cried Flora.

Mommy, Daddy, Frankie and Uncle Donald all laughed. "Pigs say oink." Frankie informed Flora.

Next the saw, the sheep. It's wool was really thick.  "That would make a nice sweater." replied Mommy.

"It will soon enough." Uncle Donald told her.

Frankie liked the wool better on the sheep. Wool sweaters were always so itchy to her. "Flora, what does a sheep say?" she asked her little sister changing the subject and trying to get the thought of uncomfortable sweaters out of her mind.

"Moo!" exclaimed Flora.

Mommy, Daddy, Frankie and Uncle Donald laughed. "Sheep say baa." said Frankie.

Last they went to visit the big brown cow. She was lying in the barn. "She's beautiful!" gushed Frankie.

"Maybe, later you can help milk her." Uncle Donald told Frankie.

Frankie's eyes lit up excitedly. "That would be really fun!" she declared eagerly.

"Well, kiddo," Uncle Donald said to Flora, "This is your chance to be right. What does a cow say?"

"Meow!" shouted Flora excitedly.

Mommy, Daddy, Frankie and Uncle Donald all laughed.

Analeigh Always Wants Attention

Analeigh Vaccaro and her older sister, Isabel sat at the kitchen table doing their homework. Analeigh kept looking over at her sister, but Isabel just kept staring at  the paper she was working on. Analeigh was bored and wanted attention. She just loved to be the center of attention, and she couldn't stand to be in a room where anyone in it was not paying attention to her

"Guess what happened to me at school today!" Analeigh announced excitedly to Isabel.

Isabel continued starring at the homework sheet in front of her and ignored Analeigh.

"Isabel?" said Analeigh trying to get her sister's attention. When there was no reaction, she repeated "Isabel?" Isabel still did not look up or acknowledge that she had been spoken to. "Isabel!" shouted Analeigh loudly in her sister's ear. "I'm talking to you!"

Isabel backed away and rubbed her now sore ear. "You don't have to yell." she hissed angrily. "I'm trying to do my homework." she declared gritting her teeth.

"But don't you want to hear what happened to me in school today?" asked Analeigh.

Isabel shook her head. "No." she replied and went back to her homework.

Analeigh was bursting at the seams and she was sure that Isabel would really want to know so she decided to tell Isabel anyway. "I was walking to my classroom .." she began

"I said no!" replied Isabel angrily turning away from her sister..

Analeigh walked over to Isabel and peered at Isabel's homework page over her shoulder. "Oh that  looks easy." she declared. "I bet I can do that. I am really good at math. I get the best grades in the class on all my math tests."

Isabel  sighed, shook her head, and stared icily at her sister.  "I think I am going to go do my homework in my room." she announced grabbing her stuff and heading for the stairs.

Now, it was Analeigh's turn to sigh. She would just have to find someone else to talk to.  She went into the living room and found her  other older sister, Emalia. Emalia was on the phone as usual. That didn't bother Analeigh. She went right up to Emaila and started talking. "Guess what I did in school today!" she exclaimed.

Emaila gave her sister a red angry glare. "Do you mind?! I'm on the phone." She turned away from Analeigh and went back to the phone. Analeigh did not leave the room. She stayed around and listened to Emalia's side of the conversation. Emaila and her friend were talking about a popular series of movies.

"I love those movies." exclaimed Analeigh excitedly butting in. "My favorite is the one where  ..."

"Analeigh!" screamed Emaila cutting her sister off abruptly. "I'm not talking to you!  I'm talking on the phone.  You're not part of this conversation."

"Why not?" replied Analeigh indignantly. "I love those movies. I've seen every one at least 5 times. When I grow up I'm going to.,."

"Don't you have something to do?" cut in Emaila glaring at Analeigh.

Analeigh frowned at her sister and shook her head no. Of course, she had homework, but she didn't feel like doing that.

Emaila sighed in frustration and frowned.  "Then, I'll go." she announced hotly. She gave Analeigh another red angry look, grabbed her cellphone and headed for the stairs.

Analeigh just shook her head sure that it was all Emaila, and that she, Analeigh, had done absolutely nothing wrong. Teenagers were so moody. Analeigh was in no rush to be one herself.

Left alone with no one to talk to again, Analeigh got bored. She went upstairs to her Mom's room. Mom was sitting at her desk with Isabel. "What are you doing?" asked Analeigh.

"Mom's helping me with my math homework." replied Isabel.

"I could help you with that." replied Analeigh. "I'm really good at math. My teacher said ..."

"Analeigh." interjected her mother. "We know you're  a good student, but now I am helping your sister."

Analeigh quieted down for a minute. She looked at the math book over her mother's shoulder. "Oh that's really easy. I could ..." she stopped mid sentence when her mother gave her a not very happy look.

Analeigh sat down on her mother's bed and was quiet for a few minutes. Then, she was overwhelmed with boredom. She really didn't like when nobody was paying attention to her. She got up and walked back over to her mother and Isabel at her mother's desk "Guess what happened to me today!" she proclaimed brightly.

"Analeigh!" declared her mother angrily. "I'm helping your sister with her homework." Analeigh's whole face froze, and she looked as though she were about to cry. "Just wait a few minutes." Mommy added in a softer tone. "And then I'll be with you."

Analeigh smiled. "Okay, Mommy." she replied.. She sat down on her mother's bed and waited silently and patiently. After about five minutes, she jumped up excitedly. "Is it time yet?" she asked.

Saving Siri

Halle Herman stared miserably out the window of her hotel room as the rain poured in buckets down the window. Her family was in Washington DC for a week, and they were supposed to be going to look at the monuments on and around the National Mall today. Halle's brother, Max was happily playing away on his portable gaming system, and the baby, 2 year old, Siri happily toddled around the room. Neither of them seemed as upset as Halle felt.

"I'm bored!" announced Max tossing his game on the bed. "Why didn't you let me bring more games?" he asked his mother accusingly.

"You don't need to spend all your time playing games while we are away. " replied his mother calmly. ""Besides, we are only going to be gone one week. You'll survive it. I promise."

Max looked doubtful. "But what are we going to do now?" he asked pointing out the window to the rain.

"Yes." agreed Halle. "What are we going to do?"

Siri chose just that moment to bump into something and start crying. Mommy sighed and scooped Siri gently up in her arms. "Why don't we go swimming?" she suggested. "I hear the hotel has a very nice indoor pool."

"Swimming!" shouted Max and Halle at the same time. They both loved swimming and they were both really good swimmers too. They had each started taking swim lessons when they were just a little older than Siri was now. They quickly hurried to find their bathing suits while Mommy struggled to put a cute little polka dotted two piece on a squirmy Siri.

When all three kids were ready, Mommy  handed Siri to Halle so she could put on her own suit. Siri smiled at her sister. She just adored Halle. Halle smiled back. Siri was so much less annoying than Max. She hoped that didn't change as Siri got older.

When Mommy was ready, they grabbed some towels and headed down to the pool. Mom took Siri and sat down by the side of the pool. Max jumped right into the water. Halle eased in from the steps. As soon as Halle got all the way into the pool, Max snuck up behind her and splashed her. "Hey!" she cried splashing him back. Soon they were in a full out splashing war.

The lifeguard blew his whistle and pointed to them. "No splashing!" he declared.

"Sorry." they said. They stopped splashing. For a while Max played by himself and Halle swam. When they both got tired of that, they started playing a game together, Ordinarily, Halle would not be caught dead playing a game with her little brother, but in the pool on vacation when nobody else was around she figured it was okay. Max wasn't too fond of playing with his sister either. However, they ended up having a surprisingly good time together.

Even Siri noticed what a good time they were having. She sat by the side of the pool with their mother jealously starring at her brother and sister laughing and playing and having fun in the pool. She wanted to be having fun too. She pouted and whined and tugged on her mother's arm and pointed to the pool. "I'm sorry, sweetie." replied Mommy sympathetically,  "I know you want to go in the pool with your big brother and sister, but you'll have to wait a little bit." Mommy was waiting for Dad to call.  He was at a business meeting. They were in Washington DC accompanying Dad on a business trip, Poor Dad! They spent their days seeing the sites and having a good time while Dad went to meetings. Once in a while, he was free to accompany them. Halle and Max loved those times best of all the time they spent on their vacation.

The phone rang loudly in Mommy's bag. She put her hand in to get it, but it wasn't where she thought it was. She took her eyes off Siri for a second to go rummaging in her bag for the phone. That was all Siri needed. She made a break for it and toddled off toward the pool. "Siri!" screamed Mommy when she looked up and saw Siri by the edge of the pool. Siri looked up startled by Mommy's voice and tumbled into the pool.

"Siri!" Mommy screamed even louder and more desperately. Max saw his little sister and nervously looked around for the lifeguard who was all the way on the other side of the pool flirting with a group of pretty girls.The lifeguard looked up at the sound of Mommy's terrified scream, but before he could even dive into the pool, Halle hurriedly swam over to her little sister. She quickly scooped Siri up in her arms. Then, she carried her out of the pool and into their mother's anxiously waiting arms. "Oh my baby." exclaimed Mommy clutching Siri tightly too her and looking gratefully at Halle. Siri coughed up a little water, and then started crying hysterically. Mom carefully looked her over.  She seemed to be okay though just frightened. Mom hugged her tightly in her arms then gave her a bottle to calm her down.

By the this time, Max had come out of the pool and joined them. "You're  a hero, Halle." he declared.
"You saved Siri's life." Halle shrugged. She hadn't really thought about it that way. She just did what she had to do.

"You are a hero." replied Mommy gratefully, "and I'm proud of you." The phone started ring again and Mommy answered it. This time Halle stayed with Siri. Siri looked up at Halle with big wide adoring eyes while continuing to sip on her bottle. Halle smiled at her. "I'm kind of fond of you too." she declared. "And I wouldn't want anything to happen to you."

Animal Crackers Everywhere

Kenley Sawyer  sat in the back seat of the car with her little sister, Dahlia. "Cookies! Cookies!" demanded Dahlia reaching out her little hands toward the front seat.

"We'll have cookies when we get home." promised Mommy trying to concentrate on driving.

"Cookies now!" exclaimed Dahlia.

"We don't have any cookies here." explained Mommy.

That didn't help at all. "Cookies, cookies." repeated Dahlia as tears started flowing down her face, and she headed into full meltdown mode.

Mommy sighed wearily. "Kenley, can you please try and amuse your sister." she begged.

Kenley was able to distract her sister for a few minutes. Then, Dahlia went back to sorrowfully demanding cookies. Finally, she had a crying fit,exhausted herself, and fell asleep.

Mommy sighed again but this time in relief. At least, it would be peaceful for a little while.

"Are we going to be home soon?" asked Kenley hopefully.

"Yes," replied Mommy. She wanted to be home just as badly as Kenley.

When they arrived home a a little while later, Dahlia immediately woke up. "Cookies!" she cried excitedly not missing a beat. Mommy sighed yet again. She was hoping Dahlia would have forgotten by the time she woke up from her nap. Mommy quickly ushered them into the house.

In the house, Mommy went to the cupboard and took out two small boxes of animal crackers and handed one to Kenley and one to Dahlia. "Thank you, Mommy." replied Kenley gratefully. She went in the den to sit in front of the TV and eat her cookies. Dahlia grabbed hers and toddled off.

A few minutes later, Dahlia showed up in the den and stood right in front of the TV where Kenley was watching. "Hey!" said Kenley angrily getting up to move her little sister. Then, she noticed Dahlia looked as though she were about to burst into tears again. "What's the matter?" Kenley asked worriedly. Her little sister could be a pain, but Kenley loved her.

"No cookies." announced Dahlia sadly pouting and hanging her head down.

"No cookies?" repeated Kenley with surprise. "You ate all your cookies already?" She couldn't believe that Dahlia was the slowest eater in the world. She saw that the animal cracker box was still tightly clutched in Dahlia's hands. Dahlia was holding it upside down. Kenley pried  the box out of her sister's hands and look inside. Sure enough the box was empty. That just couldn't be. Kenley looked again sure enough the box was still empty. Kenley suddenly wondered how long Dahlia had been holding the box upside down. Maybe, some of the cookies had dropped out.  "Come on, Dahlia." she said to her little sister. "Let's go look." There was no way Dahlia could have eaten all those cookies.

Dahlia happily trudged after her sister. "More cookies?" she said hopefully.

They headed up the stairs to Dahlia's room. On the stairs, Kenley found cookies on just about every other step. Kenley shook her head and picked them up and put them in the empty cookie box. When they got upstairs there were cookies scattered in the hall. Kenley scooped them up and put them back in the cookie box too.  In Dahlia's room, there were cookies everywhere: cookies in the bed, cookies under the bed, cookies by the door, cookies behind the door.  There was no way Kenley was going to clean all that. "Mom!" she called loudly.

Mom came running worriedly. "What is it?" she asked with concern. Before Kenley could even reply Mommy looked around and saw the mess and shook her head. Kenley quickly helped Mommy clean up.

"Cookies!" exclaimed Dahlia excitedly when all the cookies were back in the box.

"No, sweetie." replied Mommy. "You can't eat those they're dirty."

Dahlia instantly burst into tears. "Cookies! Cookies!" she cried sadly through her tears.

Mommy quickly scooped her up and carried her down the stairs.  Kenley followed closely behind. Mommy brought Dahlia into the kitchen and sat her down at the table. Then, she gave Dahlia another box of animal crackers.

"Cookies!" exclaimed Dahlia immediately reaching into the box for a cookie. She started to scramble out of her chair and run off with her cookies.

"Oh no!" declared Mommy. "You sit right there and eat your cookies."

Kenley smiled. She got ready to head back into the den to finish her own box of cookies.

"Can you please eat in here with your sister so she doesn't get up again and leave a trail of cookies around the house?" begged Mommy.

"Okay, mommy." agreed Kenley but not very happily. Sometimes, it stunk being the big sister.