The Joys and Trials of the Age of 2
So it must be that the age of 2.5 comes with a case of the "Contrary Marys" as my brother once called it. Here's some excerpts from the script of our morning the other day:
Mama: Okay N, time to have a diaper change and get dressed.
N: No.
Mama: Let's put our coats and boots on... it's time to go to the store, and then library story time!
N: NO!
(Then of course once we're at the library, I can't get her to leave.)
Mama: Would you like a grilled cheese for lunch?
N: No.
Mama: How about clam chowder?
N: No!
Mama: Okay, what would you like for lunch?
N: I don't want any lunch.
It's quite hard to avoid the feeling that I'm a bad mother and that's why she's so disagreeable sometimes. Sometimes I think I need to be more strict with her. Other times I try to be gentle and come up with creative, positive ways to get her to do the things I'm asking (while at the same time avoiding bribery). But by the end of that day, I was just exasperated and started simply forcing her to do things.
However, at one point, when she picked up on my visible frustration late in the day, she very helpfully came over to me and patted me on the back. Then she said, "Mama, you should try standing on your head. You'll feel better. Or sing fa la la."
All of the sudden, I pictured N doing this:
Mama: Okay N, time to have a diaper change and get dressed.
N: No.
Mama: Let's put our coats and boots on... it's time to go to the store, and then library story time!
N: NO!
(Then of course once we're at the library, I can't get her to leave.)
Mama: Would you like a grilled cheese for lunch?
N: No.
Mama: How about clam chowder?
N: No!
Mama: Okay, what would you like for lunch?
N: I don't want any lunch.
It's quite hard to avoid the feeling that I'm a bad mother and that's why she's so disagreeable sometimes. Sometimes I think I need to be more strict with her. Other times I try to be gentle and come up with creative, positive ways to get her to do the things I'm asking (while at the same time avoiding bribery). But by the end of that day, I was just exasperated and started simply forcing her to do things.
However, at one point, when she picked up on my visible frustration late in the day, she very helpfully came over to me and patted me on the back. Then she said, "Mama, you should try standing on your head. You'll feel better. Or sing fa la la."
All of the sudden, I pictured N doing this:
And feel better I did. That's why I love the age of 2.
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