Out of the mouths...

A few days ago, I decided to switch up our normal music routine and treat Max's ears to a little culture. I flipped through my old CD case, and into the CD player went Andrea Boccelli. I hadn't listened to those songs in years, and I was so enjoying his beautiful tenor voice singing Vivere and Con te Partiro. But apparently Max had a different opinion.

"Mommy, I want some different music," he said.

"But Max, this is great music! Why do you want me to change it??"

"Because I'm feeling song-sick." Huh. That's a new one.



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Often when I need to tell Max that it's time to leave somewhere fun, I like to give him a three-minute warning. That way, he's not blindsided when we have to head home from Grandma and Grandpa's house, or the library, or the park. He has time to process the transition that's about to take place. All well and good in theory. However, after three minutes, he usually is still not ready to go. He is starting to come out of his awful tantrum phase (thank goodness), but instead of throwing himself on the ground when we need to leave, he has started to try to outwit me.

"Three minutes are NOT up!" he says with confidence. "Three minutes are still DOWN!"

And I hear him thinking, just try to argue with THAT logic, Mom!



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As a three-year-old, it's really hard to not get your way. You don't ever completely understand why, and for some reason whatever your parents say holds more weight than your best arguments. I think that's how Max envisions our conversations sometimes; he knows he can't win, but he wants something so badly that it almost goes beyond words.

In those situations, as we calmly explain to him why he can't have a third dessert or why he has to put his jammies on for bedtime, his angry response has lately been, "DON'T say anything! Stop talking!!"

Apparently, the words that are coming out of his parents' mouths are so horrifying to him that the only possible way to right the situation is if we cease speaking altogether.

I think I'll try that next time I don't like what someone is saying to me. Watch out, it could be you!