No, Stop!

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Gaius recently started to talk a storm.
It's all fun and cuteness, like when he says "Bye-bye, My Trash Truck!", or a never-ending steam of "Appah Sauce".

But recently, and much more life changing, he learned to say: No, Stop!

It's a powerful phrase when you are surrounded by other kids and trying to set your boundaries or explain your wishes. However, imagine the effects this has on our morning routine:

Me: Gaius, let's get ready to go to school!
Gaius: Skoo!
Me: Yeah! You want to see your friends?
Gaius: Yah.
Me: Let's take your jammies off.
Gaius, suddenly stark serious: No.
Me: Come, I'll help you take your shirt off, so you can put your play clothes on!
Gaius, unmoved by my plea: No.
I get closer to him and gently start lifting his pajama shirt.
Gaius: No, Stop!
He means it.
Serious frown, and the whole shabang.

I sit back, take a calming breath to give myself time to reason. Then I start name-calling the friends he's going to meet at school. "Do you think ___ is taking her jammies off and getting play clothes right now?".
It takes about five more minutes of convincing until I can declare clothing-swap success.

Yay for these new powers of self-expression that Gaius is getting! And also yay for all the fun challenges coming next. I'm still learning from Greg to twist the logic to coerce these little guys into doing what we want on time. Life can't be straightforward, or it would be boring :-)









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