From the mouth of a 4 year old girl, "You can't do this! I have a phone!"

[Shironu-Akaineko]

what the heck does a 4 year old need with a phone anyway??

It's a pretend Disney Princess Phone, but she believes it's real PLUS has Paris Hilton syndrome. Double whammie.

I would have done the same as the OP "I HAVE A PHONE!" *Snag, plops on top of the fridge.* "Now you don't!"
"I'M GONNA TELL MY MOM!"
"With what phone?"

OH, I'M ALLOWED, I'm the designated babysitter at home and I got a purebred SC 8 years old cousin. He makes this lil girl look like an angel.

[zzapp the witch]

Dude, hon, its a TOY phone.

You know, like the one you used to drag around on a string with eyes that moved and a bell that rang every time you pushed a number? Except this is like a cell, with an annoying voice in it, I'm sure.

[Shironu-Akaineko]

Dude, hon, its a TOY phone.

You know, like the one you used to drag around on a string with eyes that moved and a bell that rang every time you pushed a number? Except this is like a cell, with an annoying voice in it, I'm sure.

I had that, a Sesame Street one with the pictures of the characters on the numbers, and a green Sesame street "real" rotary phone where I could call my cousin Mike in his room. Pretty cool.

[Bloodsoul]

Whatever happened to the days when a toy phone consisted of two cans tied together with string, eh? (I also find it ironic that Disney is selling all these accessories that their Princesses never even had to begin with! I don't remember Cinderella with a cellphone)

[Shironu-Akaineko]

Whatever happened to the days when a toy phone consisted of two cans tied together with string, eh? (I also find it ironic that Disney is selling all these accessories that their Princesses never even had to begin with! I don't remember Cinderella with a cellphone)

Did you know her carriage comes with Karaoke?

[protege]

Whatever happened to the days when a toy phone consisted of two cans tied together with string, eh?

Most of those now comprise backup 'net servers

[Pixagi]

Tell the mother. If she doesn't do anything about it then she will be the downfall of the kid when she grows up. I have a strange feeling that she probably spoils them or let's them do whatever they want.

It's a FOUR year old. They tend to be pains no matter what the mother does. And really, considering that the mother is trying to run a business and has two other kids, and, you know, had to hire a PA to help her around the house, it'd very likely that the youngest is just a tad too much for her.

Not EVERYTHING a child does is the parent's fault. Even with young children. ESPECIALLY with young children. Sometimes they're just like that.

[volatile]

It's a FOUR year old. They tend to be pains no matter what the mother does. And really, considering that the mother is trying to run a business and has two other kids, and, you know, had to hire a PA to help her around the house, it'd very likely that the youngest is just a tad too much for her.

Not EVERYTHING a child does is the parent's fault. Even with young children. ESPECIALLY with young children. Sometimes they're just like that.

Probably true. I maybe applying parenting that is just too different then today's parenting techniques. Either way, if they are having problems with the child that isn't getting fixed by them telling the child what is wrong. Then, they have to escalate it and let the parent know. If nothing is done by the parent to stop the behavior, or at least lessen it, then it IS the parents fault. I'm not saying that if a child does something wrong it is automatically the parents fault. But, if someone approaches them about a problem with their child and they take no action then IT IS BAD PARENTING.

[BookstoreEscapee]

She might be too young for regular "school" work, but you could get her into a routine of doing something quiet like coloring or letters/numbers workbooks and that sort of thing while the older kids are doing their schoolwork. There's plenty of workbooks for preschoolers to learn basics that are fun for them too.

[tollbaby]

ugh. sounds like my five-year-old. Usually when Skye is misbehaving and causing a ruckus, it's because she's feeling left out and would like some attention. On Sunday, both kids were driving me crazy (picked them up a day early from their dad's so he could spend some time with friends who were visiting from out-of-town)... at first, I just kept yelling at them to behave and be quiet, etc.... then I realized they were just bored and wanted attention. They weren't used to my Sunday routine of cleaning the house and getting work done on the computer.

Packed both of them up into the car and drove out to the national park I live on the outskirts of. We found a nature trail that goes around this whole lake, always within a few feet of the water... way cool. Spent the afternoon doing that, and the kids loved it. They'd be just as happy with a walk to the park or just having me sit with them to watch tv. They just need attention sometimes, and every now and then you've got to put down whatever it is you're doing to give it to them. Maybe this kid's parents need to start spending a bit more time with their kids.

[Tria]

candies of fun!

Actually Pilzy is the candies of fun.... Just check out the one where Pilzy is babysitting to earn money for the medicine.

Germaine: This is a high dose of tranquilizers! How many did you give them?

Pill-Z: Um, not six each but TWELVE!

Germaine: These fuckers are seriously dead.

Pill-Z: The baby-heads are no more! With the moving and the life!

Germaine: Man the suckers are hard to sweep up once they've hit rigor mortis.

Pill-Z: Dead has gone through their minds, with the cycle of medication!

[KuzcoLlama]

Even with young children. ESPECIALLY with young children. Sometimes they're just like that.

You just described my younger brother!...That little mofo would yank on their pantlegs and make the "mom mom mom dad dad dad" when he wanted their attention. A lot. Took them a while to get him to understand the meaning of "wait." And "It's not all about you." He was a hyper little boy. Thankfully he's (almost) grown out of that phase. Him being 21, he damn well better!

[AFpheonix]

Actually Pilzy is the candies of fun.... Just check out the one where Pilzy is babysitting to earn money for the medicine.

Yep, but I was too lazy to go through all the google images that came up to find one specifically of Pill-z, so I went with one of Foamy instead.
I figured most people would get the reference anyways.

[Shironu-Akaineko]

Yep, but I was too lazy to go through all the google images that came up to find one specifically of Pill-z, so I went with one of Foamy instead.
I figured most people would get the reference anyways.

Not wanting to be a nitpicker here, but just going on illwillpress's store would have net you a Pill-z pic, seeing as he has a Pill-z shirt for sale...

[Seshat]

She might be too young for regular "school" work, but you could get her into a routine of doing something quiet <snip>

Or if the older children don't usually need help with their homework, you could make it 'special reading time', and put her next to you with a picture book or an 'I can read it all by myself' type.
If she doesn't read at the 'One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish' level yet, you could get her working up to it during the special reading time.

Make doing something quiet and long-term useful into a special, fun thing just for the pair of you, and you might get a double-whammy benefit out of it.