Blazing through Navy life one duty station at a time.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

He never gives up

My child refuses to take no for an answer.  He's going to be a great lawyer.  Or car salesman.

As I'm sure must be the case with all little humans around his age (2 and 3/4 going on 15), he believes that he who asks the loudest and the most often gets what he wants.  Granted, this is mostly because it's often the case.  But we've decided to end the cycle and put our foot down (that's the royal foot.  My husband and I both have 2 perfectly fine feet of our own).  It's not going well.

Unfortunately, the dogged persistence not only applies to amassing the world's largest collection of cars.  It also applies to pretty much anything he thinks can be negotiated.  I'm telling you, future lawyer or car salesman in training over here.  A few weeks ago, he fairly successfully negotiated the number of times he could go down the slide before leaving the park.  Again, persistence pays.  He started at two.  I countered with one.  He held at two.  I held at one.  He increased to four.  After a time, we agreed to two.  The child doesn't even need law school (trust me - I did, and I still lost).  Unreal.

Tonight it was persistence of a different nature.  He was convinced he could fit more blocks ("suitcases") in the back of his Little People dump truck than could ever possibly fit.  I'm no genius with geometry, but it just wasn't happening.  After a lot of screaming and yelling and a few tears, he made an executive decision: "Daddy fix it when he gets home."  Of course.

I love my child.  But often times I worry that he has the worst of our annoying traits.  My husband's stubbornness and single mindedness.  My perfectionism and constant worrying.  But then I realize that refusing to take no for an answer may not be such a bad thing.  It drives me crazy, but it's a skill that will probably serve him well.  With the right help and guidance I'm hopeful he'll turn out to be a compilation of what's best of both of us.  As long as he doesn't get fed up and throw blocks at his boss's head.

In other news, I finally got my hands on some Blue Moon Harvest Moon Pumpkin Ale.  I think I'm going to need it.