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.
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