Apple Juice and Revenge... Two dishes best served cold

Zane has on two occasions (that we know about) pushed Zoe off of the bunk bed ladder backwards into the dresser below. The first being a few months ago, the second being this morning. The first was dealt with swiftly and firmly. The second was dealt with, but I can only assume, not to Zoe's satisfaction. Tonight, she tried to take matters into her own hands.

Zane was giving me a problem getting into bed (what else is new).  His choice of stalling tonight was climbing to the top bunk to be with Zach.  After three times of going up to pull him down, I threatened him with a spanking (that I really did not want to give).  I walked out of the room, but did not go down the stairs, I sat at the top.  What I heard was very funny, but also a bit disturbing.

Zoe immediately started telling Zane to "go up there".  After prodding him a few times, she escalated the prompting.  "Zach ... Zane come up there?"  No answer from Zach.  She asked a few more times and finally Zach says, "Zoe, it's not my decision.  Daddy said no."  At this point, and I am not exactly sure why, Zane began to cry, saying "Zoe, you make me cry."  Zoe's response to this, "Zane, Daddy not say no.  Daddy say yes. Go. Go."

This is when Zane got really upset.  Again, I don't know why, but I have a theory. First, Zane really, really wanted to be on the top bunk.  When Zane is tired he can get almost belligerently defiant.  Second, Zoe was pushing hard for him to go.  Third, he knew that if he was to go, it would most likely end with a spanking.  He was probably having a 'devil/angel on his shoulder confrontation' moment with himself about whether to go to the top bunk.  He also had the little 'devil princess' in his ear urging him to climb the ladder.  But he really did not want the punishment for the crime, so he could do nothing else but cry and blame the devils in his ear.

This is when I stepped in.  I moved over in front of their doorway, called Zane over to give him a hug and sent him back to bed.  Then I summoned for Princess Zoe, who skipped over smiling and proceeded to plop herself down into my lap.  I turned her around and had her sit in front of me.  Here is how the interaction unfolded:

Me:  Zoe, why were you trying to get Zane to go on the top bunk?
Zoe:  I don't know. (eyes to the floor)

Me:  Did you know that he would get in trouble if he went on the top bunk?

Zoe:  Yes

Me:  What was going to happen to him?

Zoe:  (No words, but she leaned to the side and swatted her behind)

Me:  Did you want Zane to get a spanking?

Zoe:  Yes.

Me:  Why.

Zoe:  Zane push me off the ladder.

Me:  When?

Zoe:  Earlier.

Me:  This morning?

Zoe:  Yes.

Me:  We dealt with that this morning.  Did you tell Zane that I said it was OK for him to go on the top bunk?

Zoe:  Well, Zane push me off the ladder.

Me:  Did you tell Zane that I said it was OK for him to go on the top bunk?

Zoe:  Yes.

Me:  That was a lie.

Zoe:  Zane push me off the ladder.

Me:  Lying is bad.  That was not nice

Zoe:  But Zane push me off ladder.

This is when I ended the interrogation and told her to get into bed.  I could see that I was not going to get much from the broken Zoe record.  And of course on the way to bed she stopped at the ladder and then the dresser telling me, "Zane push me and I fall into this."

So, if my analysis of Zane's crying is accurate, he is capable of feeling anguish over a decision of right and wrong. And Zoe is capable of concocting a plan of revenge against her brother and showing little to no remorse for doing so. These are two levels of reasoning that I did not know existed in my almost 3 year olds.  If this what they are capable at nearly 3, I am not sure I am ready for the teen years.  But, ready or not ...