Multiple Momstrosity: The Point of "No" Return

Tuesday, 25 June 2013

The Point of "No" Return

It started off slowly. About a week ago I asked the girl child if she wanted some more strawberries and she said "No." So I cut up a few more strawberries for the boy and moved on with my day. Later when Miss Molly was hitting her brother with a plastic salad spoon and I asked her if she wanted a time out she replied, emphatically, "No!" and stopped hitting her brother with the spoon and I was pleased that she was understanding. I didn't fully comprehend what this was the beginning of.

I didn't think much about it until it started happening ALL OF THE TIME. The "N" word...the big bad word to the parents of toddlers everywhere, the indicator of the beginning of the terrible twos. We've entered initiation into the days where we routinely ask ourselves, "Why did my daughter have to develop free will?" and "Why is she so angry about everything?"

Good Golly Miss Molly!

I know how Andrew Dice Clay's parents must have felt as they witnessed their son's growing penchant for the F word.*

As the week went on Molly's use of the "N" word not only increased it evolved. Sometimes we get the "N" word with a head shake, sometimes a finger wag, a cry or even a full fledged knock em out tantrum. Yesterday she started something new, my daughter yelled no at me and held out her hand in front of her. That's right my 22 month old just told me to talk to her hand.** What's next? The finger, chest bumping me until I'm intimidated? I'm told this is just the beginning of the badness.

This weekend, mid heat wave, we bought two sprinklers for the minions to play in. Molly yelled no, and then sat in the garden crying, sulking and refusing to participate.

She's a sad tomato...

Thankfully Jack is still 100% pure "YES!" all the time because I'm fairly certain that the neighbours won't believe that I have two screaming surly garden gnomes.