Lately, we’ve been working with Luke on his manners. He’s getting much better about saying, “please” (although sometimes he still needs to be prompted).
But he seems to have gotten the wrong idea. He thinks it’s a magic word, in the literal sense — that its imbued with magical powers of persuasion. He waves it like a fairy godmother’s wand, expecting it to change no’s to yes’s.
For example, one of the first things he said after getting up the other day:
“Dad, I want a lollipop.”
“No, Luke, you’re not having a lollipop. You haven’t even had breakfast yet.”
“Dad, I want a lollipop, please.”
And then he walked to the cabinet as if having a lollipop was a foregone conclusion.
I can understand that he might think the only reason we said “no” in some instances was because he didn’t say “please,” but he also seems to think it will work when there’s absolutely no way we would say “yes.”
I present the following pre-dinner exchange:
“Dad, I want candy for dinner.”
“Luke, you are NOT having candy for dinner.”
“Dad, I want candy for dinner, please.”
He’s also tried it with cookies for dinner and with watching television at various times throughout the day, as if reality would be suspended based on a combination of his latest whim or desire and the word “please.”
Wouldn’t it be great if life worked that way? If we could get raises, out of speeding tickets, great deals on cars, and a reasonable mortgage simply by adding “please.”
But hey, Luke is pretty cute. Maybe he can pull it off.
I’ve noticed there are several other words that some kids seem to think are magical, including the words “sorry” and “oops.”
Luke seems to think “sorry” is a free pass. He’ll smack Charlotte and then almost immediately say, “I’m sorry, Charlotte.” He then goes on with his life as if nothing happened. It seems to escape him that you can’t do something intentionally, with malice, and then expect all to be forgiven just by saying, “sorry.”
The same phenomenon occurs with, “oops.” A child will purposely throw his or her milk or other food items on the floor, look down at the mess, and say, “Oops.”
Similarly, if someone throws a ball directly at someone’s face, saying “oops” doesn’t make it an accident.
Although I do suppose adding a “sorry” might make it ok.
I hope you enjoyed today’s serving of ‘mac & cheese.’ (Please?)
July 9, 2009 at 8:32 pm |
it must be hard to say no to that little face sometimes though…
hmm…i know someone who uses that “oops”a lot:)