Little Rascal

Oh, boy. I have seen my future and it includes the terrible twos.

I worked from home yesterday so I got to spend some time with my mom and Jill. I walked into the living room and watched Jill circle the coffee table. She stopped and put her pointer finger in her nose. Way in there. I said "No, Jill, don't put your finger in your nose," in a calm, matter of fact voice, and moved her hand away from her face. Then Jill looked directly at me and stuck her finger back in her nose.

I know that toddlers aren't capable of resisting their impulses which is why you shouldn't get angry when 10 or 20 minutes after you've said, "No, don't touch," they're reaching their little fingers out again for the contraband item. But there is a difference between impulse and deliberate disobedience and Jill looked me in the eye and threw down the gauntlet. I've read that two and three year olds will work really hard to test and outlast their parents and that giving in is the kiss of death.

I said, "Jill, come here please." She walked over to me and I gently took her finger out of her nose, held her hands, looked directly in her eyes and repeated, "No, Jill. I don't want you to put your finger in your nose." We repeated this dance about three times and after sticking her finger in her nose Jill would actually walk back to me without prompting, knowing what I was going to say. But she was looking around and trying to avoid my gaze. So I gently guided her face to look into mine and repeated myself. She got really frustrated and stomped her feet and let out a little yell of rage. Then when she walked away from me, she starting touching the tip of her nose. I said, "Good, Jill, touch your nose that's good." A few minutes later, the finger was back in her nose and she was looking right at me. Again, I said, "No, Jill, don't put your finger in your nose." And she said, "Noooo," in a near perfect imitation of me.

My mom and I exchanged glances and I let out the first giggle. Then we were both cracking up at this little girl with her finger in her nose saying, "Nooo, nooo!" That was some botched parenting for sure. In retrospect, this is a battle I should not have chosen. Let the kid explore her nose in the privacy of her own home! If I hadn't said anything she probably would have lost interest. But she baited me into it! I know, she's only 18 months old. :)

When I got Jill up from her nap later that afternoon the first thing she did was stick her finger in her nose.