D - Bubbles & Buckbeak

Huh?  You ask.  Let me explain.

We've entered a tough stage with our eldest child where he is feeling pretty independent.  He doesn't want us (me especially) to tell him what to do all the time and gets pretty angry with me when I try.  I've been trying to teach him that it's okay to get angry with me, but he still has to respond with kindness so we can work the situation out.  As a way to signal to one another when we've crossed over into our unkind voices (yep - I'm guilty too), we've come up with a code-word system.  As one of us flares up, the other says, "Buckbeak" (my Harry-Potter-freak sister's suggestion) to remind the other to be kind.

Katie thought this was fun and wanted in on the action as well.  She didn't like "Buckbeak" though and wanted her word to be "Bubbles" because she likes that word.

She and I were having a talk the other day and she started singing, "Bubbles, Bubbles, Bubbles."  I thought, "okay, I'll tone it down a little."  Later that night as we were leaving a restaurant, she started again with the singing of "Bubbles, Bubbles, Bubbles."  Since we hadn't been talking at all, I told her that she can't sing that word if it's going to be our code-word.  I reminded her how earlier in the day when she started singing it, I started talking nicer and that's how we have to use that word.

She got an "Oops" sort of look on her face, and said, "You did?  I think maybe I was just singing my song then too."  So, "Buckbeak" it is.