Sugar is the enemy of Christmas pictures

I had a grand plan today: get the kids' hair cut, get them a treat at the store to make them happy, then coerce them (gently, of course) into taking the picture for our Christmas card. I figured their hair would be freshly cut so they'd look cute and they'd be pleased as punch because they'd had a treat, so it wouldn't be that hard to get them into "picture clothes" for 10 minutes and then take the picture.

Let me back up and say that I've spent a bunch of time reading about ways to talk to kids in a way that's persuasive and positive, etc. etc. etc.--How to Talk So Your Kids Will Listen, Siblings Without Rivalry, 1-2-3 Magic...you get me--so I immediately put my student hat on and thought I could nail this situation before it elevated into "I don't LIIIKKKEE jeans!" and "Don't wet my hair!!"

The problem? Insert our good friend sugar. See, like all good parents, to get my kids to do many things, we bribe them. Hair cuts are no exception. And we bribe them with sugary goodness. Lollipops after, a "Brave Bag" of goodies before, etc. Well, it hasn't really mattered before...but that's because I wasn't trying to get them to take a Xmas picture before.

The getting them into picture clothes wasn't pleasant, but it wasn't horrible. The part that I could never have anticipated--and again, being the uber-achiever that I try to be so often, my life is anticipating...--the kind of hell that was the actual picture-taking. Mark and I tried EVERYTHING to get them to sit together without wiggling, moving, laying down. We had them sitting on our front steps, which are bordered by two iron posts covered in jasmine. Sounds pretty, right? After today, we might chop the whole porch off. Cole spent half of his time picking leaves off the jasmine, which in case you didn't know, drip white sticky stuff after you pick them, so he was covered in jasmine guck. Rhys might as well have been on uppers...he giggled and rolled around and spent most of his time trying to sit on Cole or lick his face. Love it.

After 50 minutes--I kid you not--we just gave up! We had threatened every possible punitive action (so much for all that proactive, positive reading!) from taking away their birthday to denying them Santa's visit and decided to call it a day. The pictures are OK--just OK. And we may try again, but on valium this time. So, my one piece of advice this lovely holiday season: remember, sugar is not our friend.