So...this afternoon while I took DD1 to a Valentine play date with the girls from her class, 3.5 yr old DD2 got ahold of some safety scissors and gave about 10 my little ponies and one Our Generation doll haircuts - she hid most of the hair in the play kitchen, and also hid lots of the ponies (meaning She knew she shouldn’t have done it). Some were left looking pretty bad...one was a particularly special pony that belonged to DD1.

After a great deal of prodding, she apologized to her sister (who accepted the apology, but has said she’s still very upset with her - a feeling I’ve told both girls is absolutely ok to have)...and also apologized to both me and her dad for being sneaky with the scissors, without being asked to do so - which made me proud. There was lots of sobbing involved; I know she feels majorly guilty. Still, I feel bad for DD1 - she’s being a trooper about it (a number of the other damaged ponies and the OG doll were technically hers as well), but she is really bummed about the special pony who is now tail-less.

If this were you, would you punish DD2 any further (like ask her to buy DD1 a replacement pony?) I feel a little bad about this since it wouldvpretty much empty her piggy bank (which consists of found pennies and quarters, and the odd dollar given to her here and there in a birthday card or something). She’s so little, yet I do think she knew just what she was doing. And as I said, I feel for DD1, who didn’t do anything wrong but whose things are now damaged.

*****For those wondering, she got the scissors from my purse (we’d taken them to Girl Scouts the day before), and my husband was watching her, but made a work phone call. We understand we are also both at fault here. 😕. And, I kno, first world problems - but I think what I do here establishes a precedent to some extent!