Undermining Parental Authority - Lovey's Sacred Duty

"Mom.  You are undermining my parental authority." 

This is a phrase so oft repeated by my son that I no longer feel the need to respond.  The daughters and Dilly (Daughter in law - DIL get it?) don't even bother.  They have all learned the "mom" look, the one that - when the child in question looks from mom to Lovey - the look that clearly says, "You will continue on this path at risk of grave bodily harm to your person."  Kids KNOW that look.  They respect it.

They love to go up and down the stairs.   I'm all for it.   Sort of.  I think they need the practice.  Also, I DON'T want to go up and down the stairs, so I can send them up there to fetch and retrieve things.  Mostly.  Sometimes they forget to bring me what I sent them for.

The parents - MY KIDS - do NOT like to let them go up and down the stairs.  They are terrified.  As a matter of fact, my son and his wife moved out of a two-story townhouse because they were afraid Lulu would fall.  I keep telling them that it would take only one time and they would learn to be careful.  Probably.

Doodle had - maybe she still has, I just haven't seen it recently - a really bad habit of climbing the chairs to the kitchen table and running from one end to the other.   That was mostly this summer.  She was maybe 15 months old when she started, about the time she learned how to climb.  She was/is QUICK, scary quick, as well.  She could be in the living room, you walk to the kitchen to get a glass of water, turn and she's running on the table.  Less than 5 seconds.

One time I was babysitting Doodle when Turtle and Duchess came for a visit.  Doodle was maybe 18 months, Duchess was three and a half.  Thinking that with Turtle there, there was little risk of Doodle doing her table dancing act, I turned my back for just a second.  Next thing I know, Doodle is doing laps on the table.  (I think she must like it because it's big enough to seat ten - takes up the whole dining room.  And I keep it bare - mostly because she is able to climb.) 

Turtle and I both rushed to grab her, Doodle thinks we're playing KeepAway.  After we've got her contained - again - and move all the chairs out of range (not that that will stop her, but it's a hurdle), Duchess remarks, clearly holding back a giggle, "That's very, very dangerous!"  then ruins it by bursting into laughter.

Duchess, you are undermining Lovey's authority as well.