Because She Took My French Fry
Posted by limpetfan | Posted in Being a Stepmom, Kids Do the Darndest Things | Posted on 20-01-2010-05-2008
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You know why the age of 2-3 is great? It’s because it’s the age when kids… or toddlers, if you prefer… start to figure things out. Cute things, like that on their birthday they get presents, or that if they move a stool to the counter they can climb up to reach the candy they saw from across the room. It’s the age when they start to reason with you, even if the reasoning is not always clear.
Unfortunately, this is also the age when kids learn they can make up excuses that may get them out of trouble, because now they know what trouble is, and that they don’t want to be in it.
Alex and I are learning this the hard way when it comes to E. E is quite a character at times, which I have written about before (like when he pointed out my white socks to a room full of people). E is also no stranger to long-winded explanations for why he did something that, in retrospect, he wishes he hadn’t done (like when he destroyed our 1,500-piece puzzle because he wanted to help clean up the living room).
Lately, E has developed a habit of smacking people. He especially likes to go for the face. We don’t know where he learned this, and we’re trying hard to teach him that hitting is not OK.
This past weekend, we went out to lunch with my family. My dad, grandma, brother, and sister were all there. So was one of my sister’s friends. E knows all these people very well, and loves them all, so he was having a great time at lunch. He even got to have a big plate of french fries all to himself. Lunch was going well.
And then it happened. For no reason at all, E turned to me (I was sitting next to him) and whacked me in the face. Hard.
Time stood still. My grandma was horrified. My dad was watching to see how Alex and I were going to handle it. I think my brother and sister may have been torn between horrified and amused. E shrank away from me and then bee-lined for under the table (his most-favorite hiding spot ever). Alex got him out and then took him for a walk, as close to a time-out as possible at a restaurant. When he came back, E apologized to me and gave me a hug – the little guy definitely felt bad. That’s when Alex told us all WHY E had smacked me.
“He says he did it because you took one of his french fries.”
Now, I had been nowhere NEAR E’s french fries. Not that this is a good reason to hit someone anyway, but it was a blatant lie! Everyone at the table backed me up on that, because Alex actually BELIEVED E!! So not only is he capable of thinking up plausible excuses, he’s also capable of GETTING HIS FATHER TO BELIEVE THEM!!
I’ve said it before. We are in so much trouble.
© 2010, The Table Has Shoes (and Other Ambiguities). All rights reserved.
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oh my! I can’t believed Alex believed him – ha. At least you have siblings that will back you up!
I can’t believe Alex believed him, either – I have been teasing him about that ever since!
Well, I suppose the one positive here is that Ethan lying to me means that he doesn’t want me to be disappointed in him. That’s good. It also suggests that he knows right from wrong. Now, if I can some how manipulate this to my advantage, we’ll be in good shape.
Well, I for one am not a bit surprised that Alex believed E!! I mean, after all, he is his kid, and he IS a toddler. And how often are toddlers known for lying? Alex did the only thing that he COULD do under the circumstances!
Of course, now you guys know that he DOES lie so you have that to deal with along with the smacking.
Y’all will do OK though. I’m sure of it. And then you can counsel me the day my toddler lies and smacks me in the face for the first time!!
Well, in Alex’s defense, he wasn’t really in a position to have seen whether or not you were eating any french fries, and parents are inclined to believe their kids, especially when they are 2 lol, so he probably didn’t even give it a second thought until we were all like “dude, she didn’t eat any french fries” LOL.
However, seeing as Ethan has already figured out how to play you guys, yes, you are in trouble, lol! But I agree with Whitney, you will ultimately be fine…there is a reason why it’s called the “terrible two’s”!!!
Nice one, C. I vividly
remember when my nephew smacked my forehead with a toy for no reason, and then burst into tears. My sis thought I had done something. Too bad, I didn’t have any witnesses. 