Resistance

In a house of two toddlers, we hear a simple refusal of "no!" surprisingly rarely. The resistance is usually a bit more complex . . .

Me: "Elise, would you pick up some toys while I load up the car?"

Elise: "Um, I'm not available to do that right now."


Another day . . .

Me: "Elise, let's pick up the toys before we play the game."

Elise: "I'm getting ready for the game. You can clean up by yourself."

Me: "No, I'm not cleaning up by myself. We are going to clean up together."

Elise: "I'll consider doing this first and then cleaning up."