Breakthrough

Shortly after posting the...post below, I was called upon to bathe and pyjama the children while the dad cooked dinner. As 'cooking dinner' largely involved 'watching cauliflower boil', this was probably a slight abuse of his power but whatever, I'd do the same. Whilst I was soaking them with water, various nice things happened:

1.Smallest child gave me a voluntary hug.

2.Smallest child let me wash his hair without screaming and he actually tipped his head back and closed his eyes when I asked him to (this almost certainly contributed to the "not screaming" part).

3. He then, after putting up a small fight, ceded peacefully to my demand that he get out the bath before his sister.

4. Middle child only had to be asked once to get out the bath.

5. I didn't even have to ask her to put her pyjamas on (though admittedly that is the next logical step after 'getting out the bath'. Still, small victories).

6. Eldest child and I had a lovely conversation about hair and my childhood holidays. She didn't ask any annoying questions and I didn't have to tell her to shut up.

Then as we were sitting around eating dinner, eldest child asked if I was leaving next year and when I said only if I got into graduate school, she said "I hope you don't, so you can stay"!

What is going on? Have I finally broken them? They actually like me now?

My mind, she is blown.