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Terrible Twos

(People have been telling me that my blogs are a bit too edgy and negative for them, so I'm going to write about my daughter again. It's a happier topic)

So last week my wife and I went away and left my daughter with my father-in-law and his wife. We were worried about how she'd deal with being "on her own" but she did really well. I guess she was ready to start living on her own, and our trip away was her chance to play.
Trouble is, though, that while we came back ready to assume the role of parents, she continues to stubbornly cling to her independence. This wouldn't bother me too much if she would go out and get a job (let alone get dressed, fix her own meals and change her own "pishee"s and "poop"s), but she seems content to leech off of us while asserting her needs.

Apparently this is what is meant by "Terrible Twos", which is a total misnomer in this case because my daughter won't be two for another couple of months. Question are always answered with a reflexive "no", foods will inevitably end up on the floor and every attempt to go anywhere involves a spirited run around the house that usually ends with a screaming, whining child being shoved into a jacket, then a car and then a car seat.

This development is bad enough its own, but add to it my daughter's newfound appreciation for television. Yes, at first I though it'd be great. I figured, a few videos would be a wonderful way to keep her entertained while my wife and I needed to get things done around the house. But TV is a powerful drug, and it has quickly enticed my daughter into developing a full-blown addiction. No sooner than she wakes up, comes home from the babysitter or has a free moment to play is she asking for one of her videos.
Of course, her favorite video is a Barney video. And Barney is the biggest, purplest and most ANNOYING dinosaur you have ever seen. Why did I buy that video for her? What was I thinking? Hadn't my wife and I spoken about this? Hadn't we agreed? But it was on sale (damn you, Sam Walton!).
Yet things, could be worse. It could be a Teletubbies video (lo aleinu).

The silver lining, of course, is that my girl is growing up and one day soon (in the "Peace in the Middle East" sense) she will graduate from medical school, open up her own private practice and make enough money so that her mom and I can live off of her.
How's that for independence.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Don't listen to the people who are telling you you are too edgy. This is great reading - keep it coming!!
November 29, 2007 at 6:26 AM
Anonymous said…
Just wait to you have another one and have to juggle two. You'll think that the terrible two was a breeze. Of course you know all this having spent time with the Greenstone clan:)
November 29, 2007 at 2:22 PM
Deborah Langer said…
I really like your blogs. the edgier the better. if you can't get it out here...
December 3, 2007 at 8:31 AM
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