The Meanest Mom Ever

Tonight I put my two oldest kids to bed in tears. I had confirmed their worst fears- that after they go to bed, mom and dad stay up and have a party without them, complete with movies, treats, and board games. And I did it on purpose.
Lately, Lenna and Andrew have made quite an effort to keep the door closed on all of their games, purposely excluding Rebecca. It is quite heartbreaking to watch her stand with her nose pushed against the window most of the afternoon, watching for the school bus. She runs to meet them with open arms and squeals of delight. They return her hugs, greet her just as eenthusiastically, then run away as fast as they can. Then they slam and lock the door on her nose, leaving her in tears. They are worried that she will grab their cars or somehow interrupt their game.
Mike and I have tried everything we could think of for several weeks now. Protecting their games for a while, then letting her in, bribing them to include her, planning things for them all to do together, letting her in in spite of their protests. So tonight, I thought I would try another tactic.
The third time they locked her out after dinner, I loaded her into the car with instructions for the big kids to be in pajamas before I returned. We drove to the grocery store and filled the cart with party food- ice cream cones, chips, candy, and a copy of a movie they have been waiting to see. We came home and were of course greeted by oohs and ahas. Their faces and spirits fell as they were told to brush their teeth and go to bed while Rebecca settled in with snacks and a movie.
I explained that I wanted them to know how it felt to be excluded from something fun, when it wasn't fair, and it wasn't nice, and there was really no good reason for them to be left out. Because that is how she felt every time- that she was being left out of a really fun time for no good reason. They stomped and cried and screamed and begged and protested and finally went to bed in tears.
We will see how it goes tomorrow afternoon when she wants to play along. Sometimes it is hard being the meanest mom ever.