I Don’t Want (Enter Everything Here)
by FireMom ~ April 15th, 2008. Filed under: Parenting.Like what you're reading? Subscribe to our feed.
Remember how excited I was when BigBrother’s vocabulary started exploding? And how I pushed him to talk about everything? And how he really never shuts his mouth? Yeah. Well. It’s gotten worse. I mean, it’s good. He’s forming sentences and making logical connections. But ugh. The newest addition?
“I don’t want…”
In the past twenty-four hours, for example, I have heard: I don’t want lay down. I don’t want nap. I don’t want pee. I don’t want eat. I don’t want crackers. I don’t want clean toys. I don’t want get dressed. I don’t want sit down. I don’t want stand up. I don’t want bath. I don’t want out tub. I don’t want brush teeth. I don’t want underwear. I don’t want pants. I don’t want shirt. I don’t want books. I don’t want no books! I don’t want Noggin. I don’t want milk. I don’t want water. I don’t want brother. I don’t want was.
The last one? “I don’t want was?” It’s kind of funny.
BigBrother: It’s raining.
FireDad: Well, it’s not now. It was raining.
BigBrother: It’s raining!
FireDad: No, it was raining. It’s past tense.
BigBrother: IT’S RAINING!
FireDad: It was raining!
BigBrother: I DON’T WANT WAS! IT IS RAINING!
I don’t want was. Gotcha, Caps Lock Boy!
It’s aggravating. Because? I don’t want “I don’t want.” I don’t want him to say it. I don’t want to hear it. I don’t want to deal with it. I don’t want it to be happening. Apparently, there’s a lack of wanting around these parts. And I’m at a loss.
I tried telling him that’s not nice to say. But really, he’s just trying to tell me what he does and does not want and isn’t that the point of language anyway? Communicating? But ugh! He thinks that because he says it with his mouth, it should be so! Kind of like when he says “please.” Please should make everything magically happen in his favor, no? And, therefore, “I don’t want” should make the “bad” go away. Awful, horrid things like naps and pants and vegetables. What an awful mother I am.
And so, I’m trying to explain to a two year old that sometimes we don’t get what we want and sometimes we do stuff that we don’t want to do. And he thinks I’ve flipped my lid. He gives me dirty looks. He pouts. He cries. He throws toys (which warrants a trip to the Naughty Chair). And eventually he forgets what it was that he didn’t want. Until I try to remind him to pee in the potty or convince him that it’s time to come inside to wash the dirty from under his fingernails. And then he reminds me that he doesn’t want anything. Ever. In CAPS LOCK VOICE.
I want a nap. Such is life, Bubba.
April 15th, 2008 at 7:57 am
Ohhhhhh, the joy (not!) of two year olds!! I remember those days. I remember Nate saying “NO!” so quickly to everything that when I asked him if he wanted a cookie, he’d say “NO!” (and just like that, in that really staccato LOUD voice) and then realizing what he had said “no” to and having to backpedal.
They are just too little for their big big emotions.
And we moms are just too tired and worn out for their big big emotions and really just want to shut them in a sound-proof closet
but don’t.
Heh.
Judy’s last blog post..just stuff . . . and some hope
April 15th, 2008 at 8:03 am
Where is this sound-proof closet you speak of? It sounds heavenly. Not even for him. FOR ME! mmmsleep.
April 15th, 2008 at 8:12 am
Been there, done that, got the t-shirt with Widget. Now we are into WHINING…. I’m not sure what is worse: her telling me she doesn’t want something or whining because she “wwwwwaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnnttttttttttttssssssssss” this, that or the other thing.
It is so fun trying to determine which “I don’t want” is worth the battle to make it happen!
Parenting brings such, um, joy at times but oh, those moments when all is good make all the “joy” fade away.
Erin’s last blog post..Worth it?
April 15th, 2008 at 8:19 am
I don’t want my turn at this next year!
Jenny’s last blog post..13 months
April 15th, 2008 at 8:22 am
Ahhh…two. I know it and remember it well. It makes no sense, does it? That egocentric thinking? The whole world working the way THEY WANT IT TO WORK? Of course, most of the time I found myself stifling a hearty laugh. I will say, don’t ever laugh at your child when they are being grumpy or serious. For some reason they don’t appreciate it much. But that pouty lip! It’s hard not to!
April 15th, 2008 at 8:32 am
Jenny; HA! Enjoy it when it comes. Or something…
April 15th, 2008 at 8:44 am
I feel your pain. No really, I do. I don’t want it, but I’ve got it.
Burgh Baby’s Mom’s last blog post..Sweet Dreams for One and All
April 15th, 2008 at 4:03 pm
Haha! I laugh because I’m there with you! It’s fun, but it will pass.
Big Sister’s big thing right now is “I not being nice! I don’t want to be nice!”
And then she has to sit on her bed until she wants to be nice.
Hope it passes sooner than later!
Jill’s last blog post..Congratulations & pictures
April 19th, 2008 at 6:40 pm
hopefully it will pass. for some….
my daughter is a bit negative. mary contrary or some shit like that. respecting the personality and all…
anyhoo…
she started off at that age with ‘why can i not have_____’ (candy, juice, cat, airplane, pony, etc). it was funny. it is not funny. she is 6 and still contrary.
why can i not have a playdate? why can i not haz a cheezburger? etc etc etc….
gwendomama’s last blog post..Double Whammiversary
April 19th, 2008 at 8:40 pm
Ah, yes. We are living in “myself, do it myself,” and “hey, I did that for a raisin.”
amanda’s last blog post..The essence of time