Stubborn is as stubborn does
Dear Swee’Pea and TheMonk,
As you know, you turned three last month. Three fingers, which you will slowly fold your pinkie finger under your thumb to show me how old you are whenever I ask. As you tell me, three means that you are a “big boy and big girl.”
Apparently, turning three also means that you must become as stubborn as humanly possible. Simple requests like “please finish your vegetables” or “Come here, please, so I can put on your shoes” or “Come here and rub Daddy’s feet” are more often than not met with a firm “NO!” followed by screams and tears if we don’t, for some insane reason, accept your “NO!” as the final word.
This stubbornness would be something to marvel at if it didn’t make me want to beat my head in with the nearest blunt object every time you dig your heels in when you don’t want to do something. And while your stubbornness is awe inspiring, it’s also cloaked in irony. Irony? You ask.
Why, yes. It’s ironic because your parents just might be the two most stubborn people on the planet. (Your mother just slightly more than I, but she won’t admit it because she’s so darn stubborn.)
We’ve had lots of practice being stubborn, your mother and I. Admit we’re wrong? HA! Do something when the other requests it and we don’t really want to? We invented “NO!”
So, what I’m trying to tell you, my stubborn little ones, is that you… don’t… have… a… chance. We will out-stubborn your stubbornness. And I know that annoys you to all ends but you’re just going to have to deal with it because I am not about to be played by a couple of toddlers who still can’t wipe their own butts.
So, bring it on, my little ones. Your mother and I are ready.
Love,
Daddy.
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Yeah. Good luck with that.
If a specialty lotion or body butter is involved, I can usually get Ane to rub my feet. I often end up with more lotion than rub, though.
Comment by Deanna — July 1, 2008 @ 6:50 am
Lil’bug tries to out-stubborn me, and her brother still doesn’t get that there’s no point in trying. Thing about toddlers? they’re small. Thing about parents? we’re not. See? Size does matter! God made ‘em small so you can move them (as in, to time out)! God made ‘em cute so you don’t kill ‘em!
Comment by ladybughugs — July 1, 2008 @ 10:31 am
More experience in being stubborn AND size — parents win.
[Not to scare you, but ours are 6.5, and they are still trying to outstubborn us. They're still smaller, and we can stick the parental landing on our stubborness now with all this practice.]
Comment by Cheryl — July 1, 2008 @ 4:21 pm
i always thought i could out-stubborn mine…but Emily sure is giving me a run for my money these days…
Comment by ali — July 2, 2008 @ 7:29 am
Boy o boy, do my twins fit this description. My boys are almost four, and as soon as age three hit they became intolerable. They don’t listen to a thing! Good luck…
Comment by RagingDad — July 2, 2008 @ 11:22 am
Right attitude. You should make it to four just fine.
Comment by Darren — July 2, 2008 @ 4:50 pm
LOL I loved this post. A good reminder as I beat my head against the floor at my stubborn soon to be 3 year old. I know she gets it from me, but I forget that it means I CAN WIN SOMETIMES TOO. (Most of the time, I do not, but sometimes, YES I CAN)
Comment by K and J's mom — July 2, 2008 @ 5:40 pm
Oh, you poor, poor misguided soul! Deanna took the words right out of my mouth–Good luck with that!
Comment by Ed (zoesdad) — July 2, 2008 @ 7:54 pm
Not to crush all your hopes and dreams for your future and that of your children, but quite simply my man, you haven’t got a hope!! 29 years later my mother is STILL trying to out stubborn me. As those kids of yours get older, they get smarter ……you….don’t…have….a….chance.
Good luck!
Comment by MadWomanMeg — July 3, 2008 @ 10:34 am
Keep us posted on how that is working out! LOL! I’ve got 20 on the little ones.
Comment by James — July 3, 2008 @ 7:04 pm