No NO NOOOOO Grandma Boom!

Marching around the kitchen and dining room to the tune of a tambourine and a shaker, 2 1/2 year old grandson, Grayson, and I, Grandma Boom, were having a hay-day! Energy was UP. Eyes were dancing along with the beat of the march.

Suddenly, Grandma Boom got creative and turned in a different direction to prevent dizziness from repetitive marching in small circles.

“No NO NOOOOOOOOO, Grandma Boom!” Grayson stopped in his tracks, as did I. He glared. I glared back. As far as I was concerned, things were going great. But NOT from Grayson’s perspective, who evidently has more dizziness stamina than I do. He repeated himself, “No NO NOOOOOOO, Grandma Boom!”

“Use your words, please, Grayson, to tell me what you want. And please use a nicer tone.”

Again, he shouted, “No NO NOOOOOOOOO, Grandma Boom!”

I responded in kind after explaining, “Grayson, if I want you to stop doing something, how does this sound to you and feel in your heart? No NO NOOOOOOOOOO, Grayson! Does that have a good feeling to you?”

The little cutie pie shook his head back and forth letting me know he didn’t like it.

“How about this, Grayson, if I say to you in a nice tone, ‘Please stop, Grayson.” Does that sound and feel better in your heart?

He nodded affirmatively. Ahhh – connecting at this point, I pushed it one step farther.

“Okay, then please use your words to tell me what you want and use a nice voice. I will listen.”

He used an ever-so-quiet whisper (maybe an ego buffer for a toddler!) and said, “Don’t go that way, Grandma Boom. Go this way.” He looked at me with those pretty eyes, waiting for a response.

I jumped up from eye level with him, having knelt on the floor for optimal eye contact and connecting, waving my hands and arms upwards, exclaiming, “YES!! Grayson! I love how you used your words and I will march in the direction you want me to!”

Boy, did his eyes smile as big as they could, almost matching the smile on his mouth. Wasting no time, we began dizzying ourselves again in the circular small marching pattern that he delighted in. I was happily dizzy. He was happy and confident for the success of his choice and that I was getting dizzy with him again. It’s so great to praise children for their Superkid Power! Communication can reduce so much childstress! What a tool!