Friday, August 15, 2008

I thought we covered this

Most of the time, T is a really great baby. He's getting pretty good at understanding me and generally listens when I say "no." Every once in a while, he decides he is going to do something, and it just doesn't matter what I say.

Today we were playing outside when he walked over to look at one of my tomato plants. At the beginning of the summer, he wanted to pull the heads off all my flowers. It took the better part of a month, but I convinced him that we smell flowers, not pick them. The rest of the summer, he'd been a plant-smelling fool.

But not today. Today he went over and plucked a little green tomato off my plant, even after I told him "no." I pulled him away from the plant and told him more forcefully that we don't pull things off plants. Then we went back to playing on the slide.

A few minutes later, he walked back over to the tomatoes. I thought "no problem, he's already gotten in trouble once today." He looked at me, as I told him "no" and pulled another green tomato from the plant. After another scolding, we resumed slide time again. Then over he went for a third time. This time I got to him just before another baby tomato fell victim to the tomato killing toddler. How many times do I have to say "no"? He obviously doesn't like being scolded (judging by the crying), but still continues to do things he knows he's not supposed to. What gives? Infuriating.

4 comments:

G'pa said...

:-) I dunno, but I bet there are stories from the early 1980's! :-)

Anonymous said...

Imagine that, a toddler that does not listen to "No", Shocking! You tell hime his Tantie said he better turn it around!!

nana said...

So do you need a good recipe for fried green tomatoes?

Jo said...

That may be partly my fault. I taught him how to pick peaches from the tree. Oh it was cute! He got LOTS of re-enforcement for doint it. (no emoticon for sheepish look)

 
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