Some of my favorite Lily-isms from this past week:
“Dearest wife? May I have some pancakes?”
“It stinks like someone pooped.”
“Lu is ridiculous.”
“I need some assistance.”
“It’s a beautiful day. I bring the potty outside.”
“Oscar’s a naughty boy. Ate my ‘tato. Oscar like ‘tatoes, mommy?”
“Lu not eat lunch. Lu eat boobies.”
“No want anything in my hair. So long and pretty.”
***
In my last post, things were a little rocky, but I thought I’d come back to say that things are better again. I’ve been so blissfully happy this fall and winter that I wasaught unawares by that bump. I just have to remind myself that I set the tone. I’m the adult. I was responding to her outbursts with sadness and frustration, and then she was feeding off my sad/frustrated responses with more negative behavior. But the next morning she erupted over something and I kept it light, smiling and making a silly joke. She laughed, and the whole week unfolded with few mishaps. It’s really astonishing. Of course, I still get frustrated or feel like I’m not getting something quite right, but if I fake calm and ease, Lily responds positively, and we avoid that downward spiral.
Teaching, I tell you. These were all part of my tool kit: fake it til you make it, set the tone, keep it light, be the adult, and when all else fails, make a silly joke. Glad they’re coming in handy now that I’m the parent of a toddler.
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Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
