Broken records get old. Well, technically they already are old. Repeating myself is old. And annoying. So I have to shake things up a bit. So when I'm trying to get the child to do what I want and avoid a meltdown I go with the role-reversal. I imitate him.
He wanted to run errands with me the other night after dinner but was taking a freaking eon to finish. He'd take half a bite, insist on telling me something. Then insist on a hug and a kiss. Take half a bite. Hear something out front and run to the window. Return, hug, speak. Repeat. This kid just could not sit still long enough for a single bite never mind an actual dinner.
I may have been silently singing "killing me softly with his words, with his hugs....". Can I get the last of my shopping down some time this year? Seriously kid, the clock is ticking. Nothing is working so I resort to what he does to me.
I tilt my head to one side, scrunch up my face and say "Please! Oh pretty pleeeeeease. Pretty please with sugar on top?"
He responds oh-so-matter-of-factly: "Um Mom, I don't eat my sausage with sugar on top".
I'm glad I didn't throw in the towel as he redeemed himself tonight. The subject of The Move came up. His response to The Move can go either way so I've tried to let him know he does have a little (teeny tiny bit) control over some of the events. Like he gets to help me house hunt. He gets to decide if the backyard in the new house meets specs.
John decided to up the ante and told him it was up to Little Man to find a neighborhood with hot mamas. Without thinking of how badly I was setting myself up, I immediately asked Little Man who the hottest mama was.
He hesitated. He actually hesitated. He looked nervous. He knew at almost-5-years-of-age this could go very badly for him. He starts to glance at John and then quickly turns his head back to me and locks his eyes on mine. They get big. Very big. He hold up his forefinger and thumb and oh so slowly points them towards me and says: "You?".
You passed this time kid but next time there should be zero hesitation.
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Friday, December 7, 2012
Conversations
Ah the conversations one can have with a small child. They do turn on you pretty quickly. Little Man has it in his head that he needs to go to Disney Land. I have no idea who placed this idea in his head but thankfully I can, on occasion, think quickly on my feet. I told him we would go but not for a few more years. It can be very crowded and very loud. 2 things you really don't like my son.
This segued quickly into a conversation on fears. As we discussed his, he asked about mine. While I answered honestly I did not divulge too much (can't give the kid too much ammunition you know). Apparently my fears weren't juicy enough so he jumped to Daddy's fears.
For the life of me I couldn't think of a thing. I drew a complete blank. While I like to think I'm married to the ultimate fearless He-Man, reality does kick in every now and then. He has to be afraid of something but what? Little Man is badgering so I need to think quicker. As I glance upstairs (since John is asleep), I remember Little Man's horrible tumble down the stairs. So I tell him how scared Daddy was the day he took his tumble. I explain that is the reason we still aren't very keen on him playing anywhere near the stairs no matter how hard we try to be rational.
My darling child responded with: "Oh that's OK Mommy. I was just practicing my Baby Circus Tricks".
And then came the conversation that occurred a few short hours ago; a conversation between John and me that Little Man overheard. The crux of the conversation was a little heavy for such a small child and I didn't want to cause concern so I broke with "Pssst. I love you".
"Mommy, you need to stop saying that".
"Nope. Never. I want you to know that I love you and always will. I never want you to doubt that Daddy and I love you. I may not always be happy with you and I may not always like what you do but I will always love you, no matter what".
He replied with a scrunch of the face and a roll of the eyes: "Pfft... yeah..."
As I told a coworker of mine today. I misnamed him.
His name should have been Karma.
This segued quickly into a conversation on fears. As we discussed his, he asked about mine. While I answered honestly I did not divulge too much (can't give the kid too much ammunition you know). Apparently my fears weren't juicy enough so he jumped to Daddy's fears.
For the life of me I couldn't think of a thing. I drew a complete blank. While I like to think I'm married to the ultimate fearless He-Man, reality does kick in every now and then. He has to be afraid of something but what? Little Man is badgering so I need to think quicker. As I glance upstairs (since John is asleep), I remember Little Man's horrible tumble down the stairs. So I tell him how scared Daddy was the day he took his tumble. I explain that is the reason we still aren't very keen on him playing anywhere near the stairs no matter how hard we try to be rational.
My darling child responded with: "Oh that's OK Mommy. I was just practicing my Baby Circus Tricks".
And then came the conversation that occurred a few short hours ago; a conversation between John and me that Little Man overheard. The crux of the conversation was a little heavy for such a small child and I didn't want to cause concern so I broke with "Pssst. I love you".
"Mommy, you need to stop saying that".
"Nope. Never. I want you to know that I love you and always will. I never want you to doubt that Daddy and I love you. I may not always be happy with you and I may not always like what you do but I will always love you, no matter what".
He replied with a scrunch of the face and a roll of the eyes: "Pfft... yeah..."
As I told a coworker of mine today. I misnamed him.
His name should have been Karma.
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