Small But Loved (Age-Regression)

Chapter Twenty-Two: Attitude Queen

Hazel POV:

A week has passed since West officially moved in. As per usual, him and Mila are at each other's throats. My precious pea turns into a little demon whenever West is around.

I don't know why, but they bring out the worst in each other. Mila has even started playing little pranks like hiding his phone, locking herself in his bedroom so he can't get in, and tearing up his clothes.

Theo and I are at our wits end. That girl has been in timeout more this week than any other week in her life. I'm pretty sure Theo's close to his breaking point.

Especially right now. We just walked in on Mila in West's room, tearing up a black shirt with a pair of safety scissors. She looks up with wide eyes when we enter and says, "Miwa diddin do et."

Says the child who's currently holding the pair of safety scissors with black scraps of fabric on the floor around her.

Timeout clearly isn't working and neither is taking her toys away. I'm a firm believer in gentle parenting, but Theo thinks she may need a gentle spanking to get it through to her that messing with West's stuff isn't acceptable.

"Come here, now." Theo grits out and points to the floor in front of him. Mila slowly stands and drags her feet across the carpet until she's standing in front of her dada.

He crouches down and waits until Mila's looking him in the eye before saying, "You're going to go over there, pick up the shirt scraps you ruined, then go to Mama and Daddy's room for a spanking."

My baby's hands automatically reach back to protect her butt while she shakes her head. "Miwa dun wanna pakin', Dada."

"You should've listened. You've been in almost twenty timeouts just this week, Mila. Daddy's heart is breaking because you don't want to listen."

And that's the straw that broke the camels back. Mila hates disappointing us and when she hears how Theo's heart is 'broken', she starts to wail while making grabby hands at Theo.

He lifts her up and cuddles her to his chest, letting her cry it out so we can get this discipline out of the way. We always follow through with discipline, even if she's crying. If we don't, then Mila will think she can cry to get out of her consequences.

"Daddy will hold you until you're done crying, ladybug. Then, you're still going to pick up the shirt you ruined and get your spanking."

Mila continues to cry for twenty more minutes. She finally stops after some reassuring words and her Nuk. I hate to give her the pacifier, but it's clear that she isn't giving it up anytime soon.

"Alright, ladybug. Go clean your mess up." Theo states as he places her down on the floor. Mila toddles over to her little art project, and proceeds to clean everything up. She throws the scraps away in the trash, then sniffles as she walks to Theo and I's bedroom.

"Do we really have to spank her? I know she's been naughty, but maybe this time she learned her lesson." I whisper to Theo while we watch Mila climb up onto the bed. She plops down dramatically and proceeds to play with her toes.

"Babe, you know Mila. It's just going to be a little tap to get our point across. She can't keep disturbing West's stuff. I mean, she hid his phone in the toilet bowl. That's intentional."

He's right, but I don't want Mila to be scared of us because we spanked her. Nevertheless, I say, "This is the one and only time you're spanking my baby. Never again after this. I don't care what the circumstances are. I don't believe in violence."

Theo nods and marches towards the bed. He stands Mila up, explains why she's getting a spanking, and then literally taps her butt the lightest he can. I truly doubt she even felt that underneath her diaper and pants.