Random Traffic Through Nick's Brain

One of our parenting books notes that the punishment for toddlers should fit the crime. Draw on walls? Take away their crayons. Spill a cup of orange juice onto the floor? Make them help clean it up.

Uhm… what if the toddler spills stuff because they like cleaning up?

That was a serious question.

Alex is doing well… talking a lot… and trying his best to push boundaries (and, as it happens, our buttons). Friday was an interesting day:

• Alex wanted to go potty, but not with us in the bathroom. He pushed Dina out of the bathroom and pulled the door shut. A minute later, screams. Alex had pooped on the floor and managed to step in it. He was standing on one foot, holding the other out, and screaming ‘yucky’.
• Later that morning, Alex ripped about 10 keys off Dina’s laptop.