Thursday, April 17, 2008

The powerlessness of suggestion

I'm starting to think that parenting is mostly about outsmarting your little one. They're constantly tossing you curve balls and you have to figure out over and over how to regain control.

For example, if I go to the pantry and start naming healthy dinner suggestions, hoping to get a little toddler input, she shoots them down one by one. "Would you like some green beans?" "No." "Carrots?" "No." "Peas." "No." She loves all these things, but what she loves more is having veto power. Spence says, don't ask, just put it on her tray. But that's almost certain to invite rejection.

So, one day, in a rare moment of genius, I casually set a container of carrots on the counter (how 'bout that alliteration?) I didn't say a word, just waited for her little eagle eyes to spot them. Worked like a charm. Whose idea was it -- Mama's or Caroline's?

I'm sure there's a textbook out there with tricks like that, but until I find it, I'll take credit for this one.