"Don't Push Me!"

Lately, you have really started to express your feelings and opinions in various ways. You may express your frustration by throwing an object across the room; you may express your neediness by whining and pulling on my leg; you may express your happiness by clapping and dancing in circles. Verbal expression is something we are working on because you seem to think it is more effective to whine, scream, or cry when you want something, and we're trying to teach you to calmly as for things nicely.

I was very happy to witness your appropriate use of verbal expression when I picked you up from my gym's child care the other evening. Right as I was walking into the room to get you, I saw another little girl (who was probably 4 or 5) steal a toy from you and then push you away. Did you cry? Nope! Did you tattle? Nope! Did you push back? Nope! You looked the girl straight in the face, pointed at her, and said with conviction, "Hey. Don't you push me!" I was so proud of you for sticking up for yourself and made a big deal about it on the way home. We even practiced saying, "Don't you push me!"

This morning as your dad and I were trying to get out the door for work, you were being somewhat of a slow-poke. Daddy was trying to get you to move along and gently guided you out of the bedroom by putting his hand on your back. Without hesitation, you snapped around and yelled at him, "Hey! Don't you push me!"