“Coming Right Up”
Monday, October 7th, 2013From Monday Mom – Neetika:
This morning, much to my consternation, Haley engaged in her usual habit of going through the top drawer of my nightstand. She handed me the ring and necklace I wear every day. I thanked her as she continued to dig through my belongings. To keep her from going through more things, I asked her to hand me my watch, which was in the front of the drawer. Without looking up or missing a beat, Haley said “Coming right up!” I could not stop laughing.
You may not see the humor in this, but it’s just the kind of precocious phrase one doesn’t expect to hear from a toddler. It’s not something that anyone around her ever says. I’m sure she heard it on one of her TV shows. And it’s not the most common thing to say, nor is it clear what it really means. Haley using it correctly marked an improvement in her understanding of the English language. It also shows off her developing personality in a way.
These days Haley is full of opinions and she’s not afraid to voice them. When she wanted to go to the store with her father – but I told her to eat her lunch first – she calmly replied “Not now; maybe later.” Her determination combined with her penchant for tantrums can make for many tense moments in our house. Luckily, her newfound maturity is also really fun to witness, so things balance out.
While I appreciate Haley’s growing independence, I’m realizing why two-year-old phase is so famously challenging. She knows what she wants, but can’t always express it. When she can express it, she isn’t always able to appreciate or internalize the response she gets. It may seem like when you’re talking to a toddler, you’re talking to a brick wall. But I think toddlers think we’re the brick walls, and they just don’t understand why they can’t get through to us. I’m sure we make no sense and seem so unreasonable at times. How frustrating that there is nothing they can say or do to make us understand! That’s usually when the crying starts.
I’m trying to be patient with the difficulties in communication we face. I only hope that Haley will do the same with me.