How to train a dragon (I'm mean tween-aged daughter)

Quick post this morning as I'm left here in a quiet house laughing to myself. This morning, was our regular routine. I walk through our hallway upstairs singing good morning, good morning, gooood moorrrning...(I know it's weird but it's a true story..I don't mind mornings) to get my girls up and going! Maya pops up first and sings back (my little joy baby) or in a cute little rhaspy voice says hi mama, Brooke hits the ground running...she says hi and starts talking about all of her day, opinions and how to end world peace! Then Emma always takes a few minutes to get moving but I've always called her my morning dove because she is the one who loves the quiet of the morning and slowly waking up (which does not blend well with Brookes vivacious way of viewing the morning by talking out EVERYTHING!)

Anyways, the mornings move rather well and we all manage to make it downstairs and out the door without any hiccups. Except this morning Emma wasn't feelin' it! She kept snapping at her sisters for no reason and at me...by the time we got downstairs I said Emma that's enough it's too early to do crabby and besides we don't do moody in this house! She just looked down and was a little sad. This is completely out of character for her (she would do that when she was 7 or 8 but not anymore). Well, she just turned 12 and I tease her about all those emotions running through her that she herself won't understand and she will just say MOM stop it....that's soooo embarrassing! But I think it's cute!

Anyways, Jim comes downstairs and hears and sees what's going on when (here's the training part) he scoops her up to give her a hug and says I love you Emma in the cheesiest voice he can do to get her to laugh!! We all started laughing..except Emma...so then we all start singing (yes, Jim and I, doing a duet which is hilarious in and of itself) You're never fully dressed without a smile from Annie until she just breaks down and starts laughing! We broke through her tween hormones and got her to laugh!! I remember my mom and dad doing the same thing to us girls until we would just say being moody wasn't worth it and we would begin to laugh! Now, I'm not sure if I'm over simplifying it or if it really good be this easy...but my solution on how to train a tween aged daughter is lots of love, lots of communication and a boat load of laughs along the way....