Earlier this week, I happened to arrive at daycare to pick Leah up at the same time as "Keaton's" mom. Keaton is a couple of months younger than Leah, and I picked up from an overheard conversation that he is not a first child. I therefore observed Keaton's interaction with his mother as one might observe mice in a lab: In a controlled environment, I was hoping to learn something that might be useful in my interactions with my own child.
Lo and behold, after Keaton was all suited up in his jacket and secured in his carrier, Keaton's mom presented him with two toys. "Which one?" she asked him, and Keaton smiled and, after a moment, chose the toy in the right hand. "Yeah, I thought so," said Keaton's mom, and she smiled at me, and I smiled back, and off they went.
Well, I can do that, I thought. I can present two options. My kid can make a choice. Surely this is not that difficult.
So today, as I was making blueberry puree and was home alone and thus needed my child to be occupied, I presented Leah with two toys, one in each hand, just as I'd seen Keaton's mom do. "Which one?" I asked her, and she assumed the same happy expression I'd seen on Keaton's face when faced with this question. I dared to hope as she got a knowing glint in her eye...
...And reached out with both hands, one for each toy.
So there you have it. My daughter believes she can have everything she wants.
After giving it some thought, I've decided she's smarter than Keaton after all.
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