Negative Vibes

The parenting timeline goes something like this: you find out you’re expecting, bring home a tiny bundle, spend a few sleepless nights, and baby learns to say “No!.” To say, shout, sing, growl, sign, and even spell “No!” They get barely big enough to have a pulse and then develop an opinion, which is emphatically formed in opposition to anything anyone else is interested in. Connor was pretty sweet-natured, but even he would bust out the “No!” pretty regularly. At 17 months, Connor could say two words: “Donald’s” (as in the Golden Arches) and “No!” Addison was born knowing the negative, even adding her own “Whatever!” spin. She said “No!” to getting dressed, getting bathed, wearing shoes, wearing jackets, wearing anything. She would fight like a tiger against getting strapped in the carseat and then holler out her “nay” vote for the rest of any trip. Even Scarlett has learned inordinately early, in my opinion, to get her “No!” on. Only one specific bowl is acceptable for eating grapes. She won’t tolerate jeans. And hair accessories get a “No!” and an “Off!” But my undisputed “No!” champ was Keilana, who didn’t earn the nickname “Beast” for nothing. If Keilana hadn’t learned to say “No!”, she would have talked only half as much--which would still have been an impressive feat, I’m just sayin.’ Kate, the lead character in Teddy Slater’s N-O Spells NO!, is a blue-eyed, brown-haired little bitty with strong preferences and firm convictions. Sounds like somebody I once knew.

http://www.amazon.com/N-O-Spells-Hello-Reader-Level/dp/0590441868


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