“Come here.”

“Why?”

“Put your coat on.”

“Why?”

“Come downstairs.”

“Why?”

“Eat that piece of cake.”

“Why?”

“Why?” is the token phrase for my Olivia this week.  I joke that I could tell her, “We are going to Disney!” and she would respond, “Why?”.  We work so hard to teach our children our morals, our standards and manners.  Our children take us through phases and call us to task.  They ensure that we will keep them safe with rules and boundries. We glow in our success when they show us what they have learned.  They are certain to remind us,  just when we are sure that they finally get it, that they will always test us. “Why?”

She continues to test our rules, our standards and our follow through.  Soon this phase too will pass.  I remind myself.  “Why?”  If it doesn’t life will continue to be rough.
“Get your shoes on.”

“Why?”

“Get dressed for ballet.”

“Why?”

“Let’s go see a movie.”

“Why?”

“I love you”

“Why?”

It is just what I do sweetie no matter how crazy you make me!

This too will pass, right?

Just training for when she is a teenager, right?

It will get easier, right?