Ask nicely
In an effort to offset some of the eventual bad habits she might learn from us, like scratching her parts in public or asking a member of the wait staff for some ketchup to put on her steak, we're trying to get Leta to ask for things nicely. It's the least we could offer humanity.
Whenever she demands something that isn't unreasonable, like chocolate candy for breakfast or maybe some ice in her bourbon, we stop her and tell her not to ask us like that. "Say please," one of us will say, and then we wait for her to comply. If she doesn't then we try something more convincing. Like spanking. Or yanking her fingers out of their sockets.
We didn't realize that after she says please both of us were praising her with a hearty, "That's right!" until she started tacking that on to her request: "More chips, please, that's right!" And now when we tell her to ask nicely she always includes "that's right!" plus an extra "huh?" because it's all she ever hears.
If both Jon and I were forced to take that one word out of our vocabulary this house would suddenly become a family of mutes.
Here is an audio clip of Leta asking nicely.
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FM Living
Gora_Kagaz said:
aww..she's so adorable!
05.08.06 - 01:19 PM / 1mania72 said:
My firstborn said Please and Thank you in Sign language when he was seven months old. This weekend I asked baby #3 "What do you say?" She looked at me very confused and said, "Gimme it?"
05.08.06 - 01:23 PM / 2Erica America said:
Love the Leta audio huh! I am always amazed at how Southern you sound Heather.
05.08.06 - 01:25 PM / 3hopefulloser said:
That's right! that's awesome :-)
05.08.06 - 01:26 PM / 4Bella said:
Glad to see we aren't the only ones who allow ice in their bourbon ;)
05.08.06 - 01:34 PM / 5Vicky said:
Awwww! :) Tiny bit of sarcasm there too, methinks? Heh.
05.08.06 - 01:34 PM / 6Beverlee said:
That's so funny. You guys have REALLY got to watch what you're saying around that little gal! Please ... that's right.
05.08.06 - 01:35 PM / 7Wendy Mac said:
Adorable, that's right!
At least when you ask her, "What do you say?" she doesn't say, "NOW".
Just wait :-)
05.08.06 - 01:35 PM / 8Torrie said:
I think you've got the lyrics to the next summer dance hit on your hands.
"PLEASE!!!That's right!"
05.08.06 - 01:44 PM / 9Fox said:
I love the long belaboured PWEEEEASE, that's right.
Makes it so much more meaningful. No really, PWEEEEEASE.
Best thing to tell her, If she asks for ice in her bourbon nicely, the bartender is more likely to give her more. Nicely.
05.08.06 - 01:44 PM / 10jw said:
You've got this parenting thing down cold! I like Mania's style as well.
Bundle of Joy #2, an adorable boy, once told a sweet little old lady in the store who dared to speak to him, "Shutty uppy!"
Fortunately the old bat couldn't hear.
05.08.06 - 01:47 PM / 11vwsista said:
Awww... that is too damn cute.
I love to hear you, too, Heather.
05.08.06 - 01:51 PM / 12tk said:
That was just the cutest thing ever!!!
Please tell me you are going to put the video clip of the reading/farting session back up. I missed getting to see it before you temporarily removed it.
TK
05.08.06 - 01:51 PM / 13JustLinda said:
About the sleeping thing...
I have a baby who does that... asks to go to bed.
I'm thinking of selling her for 309 million (cash, small unmarked bills). I'm quite certain she's worth more than that, but I don't want to be greedy.
05.08.06 - 01:51 PM / 14Vaguely Urban said:
I love the slightly patronizing emphasis on PWWEEEASE. That's right, Leta!
05.08.06 - 01:55 PM / 15ktjane said:
can i have a leta too? please, that's right!
she is so precious!
05.08.06 - 01:55 PM / 16J_Bo said:
How cute is she?
I just read your sleeping post. Is Leta going through a growth spurt? My first would ask to go to bed in the afternoon, or early in the evening and when she woke up, her face would be a bit more mature and she'd be a hair taller. She's almost nine now and still does this, and is almost taller than me.
05.08.06 - 02:00 PM / 17rebecca said:
I used to babysit a little boy who, when I would say "Say please!" would reply "You're welcome!" I guess that's better than nothing.
05.08.06 - 02:04 PM / 18kawaface said:
awww...how adorable. i could detect your southern accent, as well!
05.08.06 - 02:17 PM / 19Camille said:
My son, who is about a month older than Leta, says "Please welcome yeah" with an emphatic nod of his head.
05.08.06 - 02:22 PM / 20Pupsicle said:
How funny! Isn't it amazing the way that they absorb not only the words you use, but the syntax and grammar as well?
05.08.06 - 02:29 PM / 21Mia said:
Multimedia days on your site make me SO happy! She's hilarious.
05.08.06 - 02:31 PM / 22BeachMama said:
All I ever ask is that the demand comes with a "please".
05.08.06 - 02:37 PM / 23Sandra Heikkinen said:
Such little parrots. My niece is currently very busy telling everyone, "I look very pretty" with great certainty (she just got her first REAL haircut).
05.08.06 - 02:47 PM / 24wrensuicide said:
SO. CUTE.
What was she asking for? There were lots of "eeee"s in the "pwease", so it must have been something good.
05.08.06 - 03:00 PM / 25KfK said:
That is funny. Children absorb EVERYTHING! I can't imagine how many people are going to take you seriously with the bourbon and spanking humor. Get ready for the insults!
05.08.06 - 03:02 PM / 26rch7279 said:
That is so so cute!
05.08.06 - 03:02 PM / 27Rose said:
Ketchup on the steak? Dear Lord, is that a Hudson Hawk reference? Please tell me it isn't - I couldn't love the blurbodoocery any more, and if you're closet Hudson Hawk fans, my brain will explode.
Leta is just too sweet! Hope you are all well!
05.08.06 - 03:12 PM / 28painterly1 said:
Heather,
I felt the need to tell you how much I enjoy your witty, talented writing. It's like reading good literature with the added bonus of knowing that it is actually someone's real life. Thank you.
05.08.06 - 03:14 PM / 29Jonniker said:
Gah, that's priceless. Almost makes me want to run out and have one.
Almost. Not quite, but close.
05.08.06 - 03:14 PM / 30