Won the Battle, but Sure to Lose the War
Alexis came home from daycare on Friday with a new phrase firmly etched into her vocabulary: You can't do that. Unfortunately, she only knows how to use it in the brattiest, snidest way possible. All weekend she's been using the phrase that pays as a means to get back at us when she's the one that has been busted for standing on the table, feeding her lunch to the Bulldog, taking her shoes off in the car just as we were pulling into the parking lot to go grocery shopping, or going double back flips off the chandelier. It has not gone over the way she was hoping. Instead of turning the situation around and getting off scott-free, it has resulted in her getting into even more trouble.
I think maybe she has finally caught on that she's wasting her breath. A little bit ago she decided it would be a fabulous idea to take the green Dots out of her mouth and try to hand the half chewed gummy sugar to somebody, anybody. I told her no, Daddy told her no, and I finally told her to either put them back in her mouth or throw them away. She looked at me, wagged her crusty green finger, and said, "You can't do that." I stared at her with my best "Knock it Off Now or Else Face." She tried to stare back, but instead found herself saying, "You can do that" as she marched her little behind to the trash can.
It's good to be the Mom.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Reader Comments (47)
I don't blame her. Green Dots are uber gross.
Green Nerds, however, are kickass.
Oh the sayings they will learn! Wait till she starts Kindergarten. Winning the stare down is the best! Sometimes it's very, very hard though. I consider myself pretty good at it after all these years, but Peanut has broken me on more than one occasion and I have to look away quickly before she discovers her success!
what are green dots? is this yet ANOTHER US candy that has yet to make it North of the Border! Argh...
Ah, kids...
Dang preschool peer groups. What they come home with!
Again, congratulations for taking all these terrible inevitabilities of childhood with a sense of humor. I suppose you'd hate me if I told you that Deeder's learned to say, "Yes, Mommy"...it's true! but possibly not to last.
A look? All it took was a look? Damn you are good wumman. Care to learn me a thing or twelve?
Love the photo. :) Love You can do that!
Be warned, if you ever start giggling during a stare-down, it's all over!
you two slay me. love that picture. What a photo op!
Don't ya just LOVE what they bring home from daycare? We've had a couple of talks with my daughter about similar phrases or attitudes. She was informed in no uncertain terms that it would not fly around here.
A look never really stopped my boys. But when they were little I could stop them with this phrase:
Well, I'm the mom. When you become the mom you can make the rules.
It took each of them some time to figure out that they would NEVER become the mom. :)
One of many skirmishes, I'm sure :-)
I found your blog through Kimmy's blog and your comment about bulldog farts. I have two bulldogs, so I honed right in on that. They are an interesting and gassy breed, aren't they? We've had three of them and just adore them!
Wanted to drop in and say hello to a fellow bulldogger.
Peace - D
HA! Good for you, it's amazing what our "mom looks" will achieve!
well, good. She's learning what side her bread is buttered on.
Yay for Mom Looks. I've actually noticed them starting to work for me!!! They're great!
Love the photo with the panda! How cute!
Funny story too :)
Kimmy
I hate it when the day goes south and everyone starts doing double back flips off the chandeliers.
Isaac can be deterred with a look sometimes. Gracie, not so much. Looks usually just make her giggly. I hope the Toddler keeps thinking you can do that. :)
Oh man... the things that my kids have brought home from school. UGH!
I am not looking forward to the scool bus next year. :)
I can't stop singing--You've got the look--what in the world can make a brown eyed girl turn blue? When everything I ever do I do for you, and I go
nananananana!
roxette rocked. now you do!
If that's not a picture waiting to be blown up and framed...
I wonder if they're thinking of all the places they'll go, all the things they'll see..
Alexis is showing Bear the daffodils in the photo. There's a whole bunch right in front of them.
It's probably a good thing I know it was the flowers they were looking at because right on the other side of those trees is a cemetery. You can see it pretty easily from where they are sitting. ;-)
Yeah I love the crap they come home with. Beans' latest is " You not my friend NO MORE!"
Yeah I love the crap they come home with. Beans' latest is " You not my friend NO MORE!"
The stare down...........I have one on my hands that kicks my behind in a stare down! I'm working on it though.
What an adorable picture! I love her and her panda :)
I love that picture! Your little girl is too cute!
My daughter learned all her "booty" and "poop" jokes from preschool. The things they learn from other kids, huh?
LOVE the photo!
Oh... there are days when a mute child would be endearing.
probably not. Just a self controlled mouth!
"It's good to be mom".....I LOVE IT!!!
this is the least of what she will bring home from daycare or school or whatever.
good luck, mom! and you better perfect that Knock it Off Now or Else Face. you're gonna need it :-)
wow...you got a mouthy one on your hands. I know you've read about my niece Allison. Looks like she may have competition!
Wait until Alexis is 3...it should get really interesting.
Cookies for cleaning? YOU GOT YOURSELF A DEAL????
Be forewarned....I might not get much cleaning done if the bully is near!!
Hallie :)
Can you teach my that look? When I try it, the kids just laugh and continue on with what they were doing. When I look in the mirror, it looks mean to me, but not mean enough?
LOL I love the sound of the look! You'll have to take a pic of it, I need to perfect it too :)
Oh boy. that stinks.
my munchkin is waaay past that stage. now all i i hear is why? and what do you mean? or whatever.. and when she asks for something to eat its fine, i don't care.. i'll get it anyway. the stuff she learns from her aunt.
Lol! I love the picture as well. It's really cute. :D
You can indeed do that, and I'm glad she realized it!
I'm practicing my hard stares now... I'm hoping they will pay off as well as yours!
Ha! I love that she said 'you can do that' at the end! Good for you!
That is too funny! I mean sassy. Yes, sassy. ;)
That picture is definitely a framer!
you should get a shot of her crusty green finger. and wagging it at you no less! classic.
Love the photo (can't spot the cemetery). Also love your new Mommy-and-Me picture.
At least Alexis hasn't picked up this pre-school gem, "You get what you get and you don't throw a fit." Cute, until they say it to you.
That is a cute story. Is that a panda bear she is hugging in the picture?
Yay mom for mastering the look so quickly--it took me at least 5 years and two kids!
hahaha. I think in the end it may work to your advantage.
I'd love to see your "Knock it Off Now or Else Face." Mine never works.
I need you to teach me how to make that face. The one I'm using isn't working.
this weekend started the whole pointing at my face and stating, "do you see this? I am not happy". I'm not sure where that came from, but it seemed to have worked...for now.
Oh what a sweet victory in the meantime and cute picture!!
I love that she thought enough to turn that phrase into something that could work for her. She's just snarky enough to not let go of it, but smart enough to make it right.
And that picture is priceless.
The LOOK. It's great that you've got it perfected and she recognizes it already. It WILL come in very handy in years to come.