The Why Stage and Emotions

Rhett is 27 1/2 months old and has just started asking Why after every single thing anyone says.

It's raining. Why?
The sun out. Why?
It's too hot to play outside. Why?
It's cool enough to go to the park. Why?
Time for lunch. Why?
Here's a banana. Why?
Let's go change your diaper. Why?
Please get in the car. Why?
Please do not bite the tires off of your toy car. Why?
Let's go for a bike ride. Why?
Do you want to play puzzles? Why?
Please clean up. Why?
And the list goes on and on. I'm about to invest in a box of wine. I told Max I should be getting at least $20 every time he says Why. I feel that I have earned a shopping trip. I do not remember Kellyn asking Why this much or this often, but I think with her, that she felt that she already knew all the answers. :)

The other thing Rhett has started doing that I am proud of is expressing his emotions. The other night he and his dad were playing with toy cars on the floor in his room. When Max told him it was time to go to bed and clean up the cars Rhett said, "No, angy." (he leaves out the R and it sounds so cute with his little mad face and folded arms.) The school counselor in me was so proud of him for identifying and expressing his emotions appropriately. The bad part was that he then tried to bite the electrical cord to the fan. I simply replaced it with a rubber ball that he could bite instead and talked to him about how it was sad that he had to clean up and go to bed because he wanted to keep playing..... He held that ball in his mouth while he cleaned up the cars. So in review: 1) Said a feeling word, 2) released his anger physically through bitting a ball instead of a person or throwing or hitting. 3) Followed directions and cleaned up even though he wasn't happy about it. I think all that is pretty good for a 2 year old. While I read him a book and rocked him before he went to sleep he said, "Happy, morrow." Which means he is still mad, but he will be happy tomorrow.  I think this came about that particular night because when we picked Kellyn up from preschool that day she wanted to stay and play on the playground with her friends, but I told her no because Rhett has to get home to take a nap. She got mad and said that she was angry so on the car ride home Rhett heard me talking to her about how it is ok to be angry, but it is never ok to yell at your mother or speak to her disrespectfully and that she would be getting a consequence as a way to teach her and help her to remember how to behave appropriately when someone says no to something you really want to do. I told her she was probably feeling disappointed and that that disappoint turned into anger. She soon calmed down and apologized, but said she was still going to be disappointed.

baby einstein- Look at Me! Mirror Discovery Cards.

Discovery Toys - Flip Flop Faces

Here are only 2 of the many things I love for teaching young children about feelings and emotions.









And I have to brag on Kellyn for a second. The ballet teacher that substituted in Kellyn's class a few weeks ago stopped me in the parking lot to tell me how she wished she could have Kellyn in her class every day because she is the most well behaved child. Just the greatest compliment a mom could get! I was so surprised and thought that was so sweet that she took the time to tell me. Kellyn's name means powerful and at times her behavior and emotional outburst have been just that, but it is so good to know that all the practice and modeling we have done at home is paying off and that she is able to use self-control and good manners when I am not with her. She is such a precious gift and blessing to our family. I pray that her light will shine in this world as much as does at home.