My Two Year Old
Just when you think you have two-year-old figured out, he goes wonky on you. Morphs into a new human. There's a hundred little ways he's growing and changing. He wants to do it himself--he gets the juice out the fridge, hands me the bottle to pour for him, and puts it back. (I'm dreading the day when he decided he can pour it, too.) He comes up with more games to play. He obsesses over his cars. He hangs out in Blue Ikea Bags.
And then after two years of a consistent bedtime routine that starts with a bath, which has always loved, he decides that he hates baths. I mean loathes them. Like the water is going to make him melt. And then two nights ago, baths are okay again. We never stopped giving him a bath, because we can't think outside the box of the Bedtime Routine. We all depend on it, so even if he just got his toes wet, we still could check that off the Routine Checklist.
And the CI? um, he's never been thrilled with wearing it, but was getting into a new groove. But then, he just decided he was over it. And now it's cool again.
Wearing shoes? well, he can be persuaded to wear yellow, rubber boots.
Because I'm the mom, I see the long-term benefits of having a bath, wearing the CI, wearing shoes, so I have to find a way to speak his language. And he will be persuaded eventually. For a 2yo life is play, a game. That's how he learns. I can't compromise on the things that need doing, but I can alter how I approach him about doing them.
This is a typical CI-putting-on session:
Me: "It's time to put on your CI." (signing)
E: shakes head, signs "no", covers his ear.
Me: "Should Mommy wear it?"
E: laughs, shakes head no
Me: "Should Monkey [or Bear or Cow or Doll or Lightening McQueen] wear it?"
E: laughs, shakes head no
Me: "Whose CI is it?"
E: signs MINE, laughing
Me: "Where does it go? On your toes?"
E: laughs, no
Me: "On your thumb?"
E: laughs, no
Me: "On your nose?"
E: laughs, no
Me: "Where?"
E: laughing, offers his right ear, where I calmly attach it to his head
Repeat scenario for dressing, diaper changing, baths, eating. At the end of the day we have a cared for toddler and a mom expert in diplomacy, seriously, the UN should hire me. Sometimes he needs more of this others. Sometimes, he's just like OK! What can I say? Toddlers like routines. Even if it is a play routine.
I only had to do the CI Routine 4 times yesterday. Beats 4 times in an hour.
Comments
You totally should win a creative parent of the year award!
And I absolutely love your new carpet!!
Posted by: Jo | March 1, 2008 09:43 AM
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I wish my son would tell me when he wasn't want to wear his BAHA, instead of ripping it off and eating it!
Posted by: sarah mosley | March 1, 2008 10:14 AM
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I had to laugh, remembering my childrearing years. What you did in getting him into a dialogue in which he feels he came up with the right answer was brilliant. I was reminded of this exchange with my four year old:
-Go to the bathroom before we go out.
-No, Don't have to go.
-Please just go, in case, because we won't be near any bathrooms for a long time.
-No. Don't have to.
...after some back and forth in this vein...
-Oh, all right, which bathroom do you want to go to? Upstairs or downstairs?
-(THINKING)I'll go to the upstairs bathroom.
Impasse ended.
Posted by: Dianrez | March 1, 2008 11:46 AM
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Aw... you're a great mama, Jeannette! I laughed at Dianrez's comment. I can get Liv to hit the bathroom if I pick her up in a big bear hug and "wrestle" her in. The hug wins out every time over, "Do you need to go potty" because the answer is ALWAYS no.
Love the cool new carpet.
I'm impressed at the strength of that blue bag!
Posted by: RT | March 1, 2008 12:23 PM
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Wow, that post kind of wears me out. I'm going to have a two-year-old one of these days. =)
What a cool rug! Marlowe and Ellis can tumble together all over the colorful spots. Well, maybe not at first, but soon enough. I'm glad you got a great deal-- that always makes a home purchase even more satisfying!
Posted by: Erica | March 1, 2008 01:35 PM
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With kids, one gotta be very creative. It seems you are an expert in this area :)
Posted by: mishkazena | March 1, 2008 03:46 PM
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LOL brought back memories of the days when I'd tell the kids, do you want to put on the hearing aids now or in two minutes?
Posted by: DeafMom | March 1, 2008 05:07 PM
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The rug is funky! When I first read this post, I was wondering if it was new and then read the post before this one.
I'm totally stealing your clever game to use with Lochlan! Usually we have to bribe him...if he won't let us change his diaper before we go somewhere, I tell him, "Ok, bye-bye, I'm going and you are staying home." He's like "No, no, no, want to go!" and finally allows us to change his diaper. =P
Posted by: Keri | March 1, 2008 05:47 PM
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I laughed when I saw those first pictures because just last night I took one of Madeline in a huge blue rubbermaid storage bin. She even wanted me to close the lid on her. Weirdos.
Posted by: Moriah (Please Pass the Salt) | March 1, 2008 06:30 PM
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Hey, Ethan also has the blue shirt with airplanes! I love that shirt!
We never have a dialog about his implant, I just show it to him and he stands still and waits for me to put it on. Thanks for the creative idea though because I'm sure we'll come to a time when he decides to fight me about it!
Posted by: Hetha | March 2, 2008 12:07 PM
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I'm exhausted just reading it. :) It seems two year olds are that way, though. They're constantly morphing, way out of babyhood yet just not quite ready to do all they think they can. It makes a mom's head spin!
Posted by: lynnp | March 3, 2008 04:21 PM