The Chart

"I've made a chart!"  This was the announcement I made about 15 minutes before the older 3 were heading to bed.  It's that time of day where they can smell bedtime coming like a lion can sniff out an injured gazelle.  They sense my tempered excitement that, in moments, I will have a rare opportunity to sit down on the couch and possibly finish off the last of their grocery store candy.  Because of this, the children undoubtedly loose the last bit of sanity they have been holding onto since they emerged from their warm baths.
I have announced these four words often.  "The chart" always keeps baby in line because of her innate competitive nature, and appears to work on Bubba for approximately 10 days before the attachment issues kick in and he begins to claim we no longer love him when he doesn't get a sticker.  Peach is new to the chart system and has such a strong will that I'm not sure God Himself could hold her to it, but we are at our limit.  For the past month, our children have run around like maniacs when put to bed.  They come to us for water, imaginary injuries, band-aids for said imaginary injuries, to alert us they may need to pee, or the room is too warm/cold.
I briefly explain what "going to bed" means at this house and what it would take to "receive" the almighty smiley face.  I sensed Baby's competitive juices flowing and I was completely exhausted, so I upped the ante.  "If you get 3 smiley faces (out of 5) you will get a prize, BUT if you get 5 smiley faces you will get a SUPER prize."  That was all I had to say...the thought of the super prize was too much for their little minds to imagine.  What would it be?  A new pet, a video game, tons of Barbies, a sucker?  Who knows but it couldn't be lost.
The older two were in bed and asleep in under 10 minutes.  Peach, however, began screaming at the top of her lungs for me.  I calmly went up to announce the loss of the smiley face... AND she lost it.  Our neighbors probably thought someone was in imminent danger, but it was just my sweet Peach screaming from her bed.  I quietly closed the door as she continued to scream.  There would be no couch time tonight, no candy, and no sanity.  She would loudly cry herself to sleep, only to wake up, run downstairs and exclaim "DID I GET MY SMILEY FACE?"