Tough Love vs. Coddling

I believe there is a fine line between tough love and coddling.
Here is the story behind this post;
Carly and Paityn are both signed up in gymnastics. They both Love it!!
Recently for some strange reason Carly, after begging to be signed up for years mind you, decided she was no longer going to do it. When we would ask why we would get a different variation of "why" each time.
We would make her go anyways and sit on the bleachers and watch.
Here's a tidbit,  recently only Clay had been taking the girls instead of us switching off weeks. He drops Jake off at Football then heads to the gym with the girls for an hour then back to football while I stayed home with Katrina and Abbi and stick to their night time routine of bath at 730 then bed.
Back to the story. Carly has been sitting out instead of participating. I decided this past week to take the youngins and go see for myself what all was going on. When we pulled up Clay got out of the Jeep, came to the van and said Carly was sitting in the Jeep crying and did not want to go in. Clay also informed me that Coach Jo had also come out and tried talking to Carly. I sat there for a moment and took it in and pondered what to do. This is when I love my MOMSENSE from God!! I said "Ok, let her sit there and think about it for a moment. This is not a decision we can make for her. Lets just walk right in with the youngins and go watch Paityn while Carly has time to herself to think."
When we walked in Paityn was being walked over with Coach Steven to sit out. He informed us that she said she was not feeling well. I look over at her and she is now sitting playing with the toys. I told Steven and Clay that I thought it was a case of "big sister not being in there". So I walked over to her and told her to sit on the bench and watch her class if she was not going to join. She got upset about it but I did not cave! After about 5 minutes she asked me to walk her back to her class! I was high fiving myself and my MOMSENSE from God!! When I return from walking Paityn back to her group guess who is now playing with the toys and Katrina "Carly"! I walked right over to her and told her to get up and go to the bench, that she was not to play with toys but to watch her group.
She is one tough cookie let me tell you!
She sat on the bench and sulked and refused to go in. Clay sits down next to her and she immediately cuddles right up to him and puts on the fake tears and starts spewing out reasons as too why she is not going in. Again my MOMSENSE comes to play, plus being 1 of 5 and having parents that divorced I know a lot of tricks for getting attention, keeping attention and taking what I want of this attention!! So when I saw what was going on and how Clay was sitting there cuddling and quietly talking with her a MOMSENSE light bulb went off. I sat down on the other side of Clay and asked him to please walk away and let her figure this one out for herself. He listened and took Katrina outside to the playground. I too walked to where Carly couldnt see me but I could see her. She took her shoes off and put them in the cubby (YES!! I was patting my own back) then she sat back down (DANG).
I thought and thought.........
walked over to her and quietly whispered in her ear "You know I think you would be proud of yourself if you go back in" and I reminded her of how she felt last week after not participating. I also told her "Daddy and I would be so proud and come to think of it I was pretty sure Coach Jo will be proud to" and I got up and walked away again. Next thing I know she is standing at the little door playing with the handle (high fiving myself in my head again) and next thing I know she is walking by me towards Coach Jo with one of her little friends from class!! Coach Jo gave her a high five and big hug and off they went!!
I am so proud of Carly!!
She was so proud of herself!!
It turned out Great!!
Thank you God for my Momsense!!
Mom intuition + Common Sense= MOMSENSE 
Thank you MOPS