Choices are supposed to be our bread and butter. When you are dealing with a two year old, the ability to make things happen often happens because of choices.
Say, for example, you need to have them put on their shoes. When you have a two year old, you don't fight for one specific shoe, but give two equally good choices, knowing that, although the white sneakers will match much better with the turquoise outfit than the motley colored ones that have green and mauve which barely match with each other, the child will most likely pick the shoe that doesn't match. But not matching, unless a major photo shoot is scheduled, is a minor detail. Making it out the door on time with weather appropriate shoes is the more relevant matter.
So we give them choices. Choices of fruit, vegetables, pjs, directions of walk, toys, and the list goes on.
Choices are our bread and butter.
Today, though, the unexpected happened. We needed Tahlia to go pee-pee on the potty prior to walking Suki. She didn't want to go, professing that she could hold it and go after the walk. Recently, however, she has developed the ability to go "A little bit" in her panties. She has realized that if she siphons off a minuscule amount, she gains the ability to continue the activity in which she is presently engaged. Often times, although she has stated that she has gone a little, we can find no evidence of leakage. Maybe it is all a matter of mind.
Deciding to circumnavigate the above mentioned situation, we decided a choice was in need.
"Tahlia," Daddy smugly stated, "Do you want to go pee-pee with Daddy or Mommy."
Today, Tahlia was all about Mommy, so the clear winner would be Mommy.
Have I mentioned that choices are supposed to be our bread and butter. Choices are supposed to help us arrive at closure. Choices are what we give to them so that we can attain what we want.
Choices let us down today.
As she marched away from both of us, she stated, "I don't want to pee-pee with anyone."
Maybe next time, we'll try three choices.
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