“Are you serious?” is sooo much nicer to say to your 3 year old than, “Are you freaking kidding me?” “Are you trying to drive me absolutely batballs crazy?’
Those phrases are on the tip of my tongue on a daily basis because my 3 year old climbs walls (literally)… he unscrews hinges of doors so that they fall off their frames when I try to open my 5 year old’s door in the morning and he can scramble up a tree faster than you can say “lickety split”.
So, I choose to say “Are you serious?” and I thought all was well until I realized today, just how much I must utter that phrase because today… today, he wanted a candy bar in the grocery store checkout line and I told him “No”
He looked up at me with disdain, flashing those ridiculously long lashed hazel eyes and said: “Really Mom, are you Sewious? Are you Sewious, Mom”
Damn. Anyone have any suggestions?
You can’t say no to adorable long lashed hazel eyed little boys. You must buy him the candy bar. I’m serious.
Twitter Name: shaunaglenn
oh…it kills me when they throw MY GO-TO PHRASES back at me. oh, and “are you serious?” is a HUGE one for me.
Twitter Name: alimartell
My line to my girls is “excuse me?” and somehow, they magically know to stop. Maybe it’s the inflection of EXCUUUUUUUUSSSSEEEE MEEEEEEEEE when I say it. Try that.
Twitter Name: alotofnothing
I use this one.
First, place hands on hip, throw hip to the right.
Then, Tilt head.
Finally, sternly, but not harshly, say “Um, NO, I don’t THINK so!”
But if they give you a good answer, or look cute, or bestow kisses, you’re sunk.
Twitter Name: mommahopeful
When my daughter was two she told me that something I was doing was not “appropriate behaviour.” Yeah. I was not happy. Well I was kind of happy that she could say appropriate behaviour, but not that she was calling me on it.
Just laugh, because that’s utterly adorable.
We say that to my five year old nephew all the time. “Are you serious?” or “Are you kidding me?”
Twitter Name: SillyJaime
I need to know this too.
I feel like all I do is yell lately. And I’m just getting yelled at back.
Twitter Name: mariamelee
I’m in that stew too… and my 21-month-old sasses me back with, “Awwwww, maaaaaan?!” whenever I say NO. Gawd.
Try this to temporarily disarm him: “No, you can’t have a candy bar, but thanks for asking.”
My response is, “Excuse me?!?!”
I’ve yet to hear it said back to me. When it happens, I’ll switch to “Are you serious??”
You have a smart one on your hands. Reverse psychology at 3, pretty freaking crafty.
Twitter Name: toywithme
I have no suggestions, i’m going Bat crazy X3
My post of nature would include. “Dammmit Mama!” LOL
I like to say, “no thank you!” and it confuses them.
I’m owning this one: “Did it EVER occur to you that….” and “What the hell….” and “You’re getting on my last nerve.” All 5 of them use these phrases and I know it’s all my fault. Kids are dry sponges…they soak it all up.