Momnesia

Funny girl

Emerson, Jackson and I were playing Mario Kart for the Wii, when Emerson announces she no longer cares to play. She flounces out, and we continue to battle. Stupid red team always beats us.

Fifteen minutes later, Emerson wanders back in, toting a walkie-talkie, and sees that we're about to start her favorite board.

"I want to play," she says.

"When we finish this round you can play," I reply.

She frowns and raises the walkie-talkie to her mouth: "I want to play! I repeat: I want to play! Over."

We let her play. I have a rule that clever or funny communication gets taken more seriously than whining. I actively encourage and reward it. You haven't lived until your child has burst into a spontaneous, original song, while you're driving down I-20, about how much she has to go to the bathroom.