Toddler Thursday: What we've got here is failure to communicate
Something I've noticed recently about my almost-15-month-old son, Isaac (whom you met last week): The kid's got opinions.
Unfortunately, he doesn't always have the means to express them, and this means it's meltdown time.
Food or drink -- or rather, the desire for such -- is often at the center of these breaks from reality. I always feel so silly when I realize that the kid just wants some milk and it's taken me so long to figure it out.
We started working on the baby sign for "more," hoping that would give Isaac a way to let us know when he was hungry or thirsty. And we really thought he had it figured out. But the other day, my husband was feeding him dinner, and Isaac was signing "more" -- and saying it -- but every time he offered him more of the food options he had there, Isaac shook his head and cried.
At a loss, my husband handed him his bottle of milk, and voila! Happy again! In Isaac-land, "more" appears to mean "bottle."
So who's teaching whom here?
(Photo by me)
Comments
No worries. In about a decade, the kid will have you both well trained.
Posted by: bawlmerbeav | September 17, 2009 9:23 PM
It doesn't matter who's training whom, as long as you each can make yourselves understood.
Posted by: Webster | September 18, 2009 12:38 AM
The sign for more in our house specifically means more cookie. We are working on the sign for cookie so more can go back to meaning more food.
SarahKK: Hee! For one of my friends, the first time her daughter used the sign for "more," she was asking for more amoxicillin! Mmmm ... pink medicine.
Posted by: Michelle | September 18, 2009 12:43 PM
Most mealtimes at our house involve me pointing to every possible food/drink item until I get the "heh heh" and smile from our 12-month old that means, "Yes, mother. I would like some more bananas, please."
Posted by: Betsy | September 22, 2009 1:53 PM