Not my favorite child.(This week.)
One of the things you quickly learn as a parent is that childhood is a series of phases--good and bad. It's kind of like what they say about the weather in Hawaii. If you don't like it, just wait a few minutes. One week your child is a perfect angel. The next week s/he is throwing food at dinnertime. But--and pardon me for mixing my metaphors here--phases are also kind of like viruses. You only get chicken pox once. Once your child tires of throwing food, s/he moves on to tearing up your magazines and leaves the food throwing behind. Or at least that's what I thought.
A few months ago Sadie went through her Why phase, which I have to say was one of the more annoying phases we've ever encountered. She would ask "why" for everything and keep asking you until you wanted to strangle a puppy. After a couple of eons she gave it up and moved on to Tormenting Daddy at Bedtime. This was also a particularly nasty phase but it did have one saving grace: it only happened once a day.
Unfortunately, however, the Why phase has returned, only this time it's coupled with Verbal Diarrhea to form (sorry for another mixed metaphor) a perfect storm of annoying. Here's a typical morning interaction. Sadie comes into the kitchen with her binky and nook nook and sees me eating breakfast. "Daddy you eating raisin bran, Daddy?" Yep-- "What you said, Daddy?" I said yes. "Why?" Because it's yummy. "Why?" Because. "Daddy, can I have juice, Daddy? Can I have juice? Daddy? Can I have juice?" Ok-- "You getting me juice, Daddy? Daddy? You getting me juice?" Yes, honey. "Why?"
And on and on. She'll ask me the same question three times before I can even process what it was that she asked me. Sometimes she asks me a question so many times, I feel like I'm being interrogated by the mob and I'm having a hard time getting my story straight. "OK, Daddy, just relax and tell me once again why I can't play with this steak knife?"
Last time the Why phase reared its annoying little head, I marveled at how quickly I would resort to saying things like, "Because I said so." As much as I hated saying it--after all, I don't really want to discourage her from asking questions--it was a quick way to end the conversation before I lost my mind. Now, however, I'm working on a more sophisticated strategy. Next time she asks me a question I'm going to point behind her and say, "Look, Sadie! It's Spider-man!" and quickly run out of the room. Think it'll work?
Why?
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6 comments:
Tell her I miss her too! love DD
Second thought: Perhaps if you tell her she only gets to ask you one question and she must say: Please Daddy, May I have a red sportscar?
(and you thought juice was a big issue!)
If she repeats herself, she gets NOTHING! If she whines, she gets NOTHING! If she asks "why?" tell her because DD said so!
Breaking her of this irritating habit will not squelch her curiosity; no need to worry.
If this habit continues, I guarantee it will break her Daddy! Love DD
I know!!! Why do we let them snare us into these conversations? I ask you, why do I get in these labyrinthine discussions and their daddy does not? Why is curiosity touted as a positive attribute? Just look at what happened to the cat.
I simply can't wait to see Sylvia and Sadie tackle these important discussions beach side. However, I do sense there's gonna be a rumble at some point...
Marianne
Marianne: You are wise beyond your years! It took me most of Scott's childhood and teenage years to realize that children are much smarter than their parents.
One does not qualify for a PhD in parenting until one has been battered and taunted for at least 20 years!
The justice in life is that those same children become parents...........sandy
Marianne: You are wise beyond your years! It took me most of Scott's childhood and teenage years to realize that children are much smarter than their parents.
One does not qualify for a PhD in parenting until one has been battered and taunted for at least 20 years!
The justice in life is that those same children become parents...........sandy
I love being grandma! I would enjoy being asked those questions again, but only a few times.
I had teenage kids before a therapist said to me, "Don't threaten. Say things only once and mean it." I am adding this to DD advice. It only hurts the first few times.
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