No Thank You

Another kid story to entertain you while I decide what to write about next:

I don't understand why everyone talks about the "terrible twos." Both of my kids were generally pleasant, cooperative, and lots of fun at age two -- although I will admit that both of them suffered from a fair amount of angst if they tried to say something and I couldn't immediately understand their "toddler-ese." Communication issues aside, though, both of them waited until they got older to become defiant and uncooperative. (As a good friend of ours likes to say, "The older they get, the cuter they ain't.")

One day when my daughter was about four, she came in from pre-school and dropped her jacket on the dining room floor.

I said, "Hey, sweetie, please hang up your jacket in your room."

She put her hands on her hips, glared at me, and in a defiant voice said, "NO!"

I responded (also with hands on hips and an incredulous expression on my face), "Excuse me? That's not the answer I was looking for."

"Um...." she said as she thought for a second. Then she sweetly replied, "No, thank you?"


Kids. Ya' gotta love 'em.