Out of the Mouths of Babes...

In keeping with the latest trends in Parent/Child communication theories, I try not to use the word "no" more than a thousand times a day. Though requests for chocolate treats, trips to the zoo, and gluing things to her brother's head usually require a negative response, I have been trying to make a better go of positively declining her varied petitions.

Examples include:

"May I have some Italian Ice?"
"Yes, as soon as you finish your dinner"

"May I watch a show"
"Of course you can, when it's time for Mommy to start dinner."

"May I put a boogie on Daddy's pillow"
"As often as you like."

But, there are some occasions when nothing works better than a direct, no nonsense, "no".

Examples include:

"No, you may not paint the refrigerator"

"No, you are not allowed to go get Bama*" (Bama lives in Virginia)

"No, you may not put Joseph in the washer or dryer."

Unfortunately, my inventiveness in using and not using the word "no" may have rubbed off on my daughter. Yesterday, I asked her is she would "please stop climbing on the coffee table".

She responded:

"No. With a no, no, here; and a no, no there. Here a no, there a no, everywhere a no, no...".

I think my mother's long standing wish that I have a daughter just like me is now starting to materialize....