Say What?

See sweet little Miss Salsa Face over there? Yeah. Her. She told me to shut up the other day. Lovely, eh? Here's how it happened....

Have you ever tried to teach a kid to NOT interrupt? It is not easy. Heck, even grown-ups have trouble with the concept on an on-going basis, but for kids it is really some form of torture. Nonetheless, in an attempt to teach that mommy will not answer you if you are interrupting (so please wait), I sometime "ignore" the offending child when he or she is yelling over a conversation-in-progress.

As it turns out, Miss K is not a fan of this approach. I was talking with hubby the other day (a serious topic too, like what take-out we wanted or something) and she kept trying to interrupt. For something of utmost importance: a barely visible scratch she had, which apparently urgently needed some sort of first-aid. Anyway, after trying - unsuccessfully - a few times to get my attention she finally just said, "Hey! Mom! Shut up!"

Well, mission accomplished, Munchkin. You got my attention alright.

And how do you suppose I respond? With that classic, albeit ill-advised, mother's line: WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?

And, being 2 and very literal, she replies: Shut up, Mommy. File this under: be careful what you wish for. I asked what she had just said, and so she obliged: she said it again. (Why do moms do this? Ask the ol' what-did-you-just-say question? You know you've done it. And you know you really didn't want to hear it again. Yet we ask....)

Thankfully, I had some patience leftover that day, so I calmly said something to the effect of: That's rude; we don't speak like that here; please don't do it again.

And so that was that.

Except for the look on Quinn's face. For someone not involved directly in this incident, he was looking a smidge bit guilty. Probably waiting for the "Well Quinn says it to me" retort.

But alas, Keira never offered that up.

I think he owes her one. Perhaps he's thankful for his little sister afterall.