Apparently I should write a book on positive parenting

"No. no. Noooooo. no. NO" followed by scrunched up face with pursed lips. Um, really Simon? Haven't even asked you a question. This has been our last 2 weeks.  And before you go assuming that I'm blowing this out of proportion, the little angel also got a timeout at daycare this week. The look on our daycare lady's face that day was pretty priceless. Mostly because I'm fairly certain it is how my face has looked lately. A little like, "What is your DEAL?" It's not like he just learned how to say "no". It's been in his vocab for plenty of time now. I'm well aware that the obsession with the "no's" is normal and he'll get past it but it doesn't make it any less frustrating to hear all day long. It's one thing when he's saying it to me but another when he's yelling it at random children at the playground that are no where near him. I want to say, "AS it turns out Simon YOU DON'T own EVERYTHING at the PARK" (and even if you did I'd still make you share it).

Simon with all his friends at the park :)

Thus begins my obsession with why he is doing it and what I'm supposed to do about it. I begin to rattle off all the possibilities: he's insecure, he's getting used to falling asleep on his own, he's got a little cough, he learned it at daycare, growth spurt, etc. etc. Or he's just 2 and there is no way to fix it and we wait it out. Yesterday during my research I found an article that suggests children who are the most defiant and say "no" the most have mothers with the most positive parenting skills...in that case I'm the world's leading expert in positive parenting. Look for my book on the NY Time's best selling list soon.