Kids are naturally funny, but at times they are far more clever than we imagine they are capable of being. Both my little boys have a knack of reminding us we are in for a long wild ride. This story is a conversation that unfolded between my husband and our three year old, Link. We are in the process of Speech Therapy so we’ve had to crack down on making him talk. He can be notoriously lazy and crafty about the whole process.
“Now, honey.” I was about to walk out the door with the seven year old. “The Speech Therapist said whatever we do not to give in. He’s been quite the hand full. He has to say a full sentence, I want this or I want that. You got this?”
Justin broke his eyes from the television, swallowing a pretzel. “Babe, I got this.”
Nodding, I left him and Link.
“Pretzel?” Link’s little voice called from the edge of the bed where Justin was eating from the bag. “Pretzel, Daddy? Preeeeeeeetzel?”
Justin glared at him, holding the knotted salty morsel up. “Link, You have to say I want a pretzel. Can you say I want a pretzel?“
Link’s brow lowered. “Pretzel.”
Justin ate it, making Link angry. He whined his rebuttal before quieting to stare at the next offering in Daddy’s fingers. “You gotta say it, Link. I want a pretzel.“
Puckering out his bottom lip, his brow folded. “I… want….” Justin was leaning in, excited to see he caved. “….a cookie!”
Tilting his head back, Justin looked up at the ceiling in disbelief. “We do have some cookies. Come on, you did ask correctly…”
Link toddled close behind Justin as he opened a cabinet in the kitchen, pointing to a bag of Chip Ahoys. “Cookie?”
Again, an angry reaction from the three year old as he pointed on top of the fridge and corrected, “Cookies.”
Sighing, Justin say the bag of mini chocolate chip snack packs and gave them to him. Leaving Link to enjoy his cookies, he settled back on his bed, eat his pretzels and watching his shows. Little feet came running down the hall and Link entered the bedroom, tossing the empty cookie bag on the floor.
With gusto, he demanded, “I want pretzels!”