false

Well, Griffey has learned to assert himself and our lives have been filled with the effects of it. Good and bad.

I taught Griffey to say "no". Why would I do that? Aren't you supposed to teach them not to say that? Or at least not to scream it in your face, especially in public when everyone stares at you to see how you will react? Wondering are you a fit mother? Do you punish effectively? Not too hard, not too soft? That's the worst.

I taught him to 'just say no' instead of screaming or whining when he doesn't want something. So now he does. Do you want more oatmeal? No. Do you want to read a book? No.

Unfortunately it also goes like this:

 

Do you want to snuggle with Mama?

No. (casually, as if he isn't breaking my spirit and making me want to hug his bear tighter than he does.)

Do you want to give Mommy the biggest kiss in the world?

No. (as he walks away to read the book he just said no to, by himself)

 

Well, in case you were wondering, when you teach a one and a half year old to say no, they will. A lot.

No, I do not want my diaper changed.

No, I would rather not go to bed, thank you very much.

Oh boy, the worst is when he says 'no' an inch in front of your face and then decides saying it wasn't clear enough. I will now scream it, still an inch from sweet mother's face. I give him the stern look that holds 48% effectiveness and he laughs and walks away. The audacity. So that is what Adam and I are dealing with. I appreciate the 'no' but the dancing on my motherly power and then walking away smugly as he knows he has won? That part is that part I do not know how to deal with.

He's too young to understand that he is in trouble for saying the very word I taught him because the context has changed and he is too young to understand how much it hurts Momma's heart to scream and run away victoriously, but he is definitely old enough to be held accountable a little, right? Otherwise, before I know it, I will have a 4 year old brat screaming wildly in my face in public.

Well, I guess it's time to peruse the message boards and let the internet train my child.

Becoming parents is a pretty silly thing. Acting all serious and then when Griffey looks away, giggling at each other for how crazy we sound as parenty adult types. Ha

Good thing we're relaxed or this business would eat us up. For example, Griffey was eating a squeezable mango tube thing. I don't know. It's from Market of Choice. And he learned it can be squozed (?)(sure) onto the ground just as easily as into his mouth.

Squeeze. "uh oh". Squeeze. "uh oh". Squeeze. "uh oh". Over and over. I wasn't looking okay? So sue me.

Well, back to my example of being relaxed. I put a towel over his mess and called it a day. I didn't feel like cleaning it then and I still don't.