Mind Your Manners

As a teacher, manners were super important to me.  I was forever correcting kids on their manners.  Now J and M are hounded about their manners.  One of J's first words was "Day Doo".  As he hands YOU something, he says it.  When you hand HIM something, he says it.  He always says "Pees".  M has the whole repetoir:  "Pees,  Tank Ooh, Er Wekum, Scuse Me, No Tank Ooh".  And she is also super conscientiousness about eye contact.  Something I married her dad for.  Love me some good eye contact.  But she takes it to the next level.  She will not accept that you are listening to her unless she is looking you in the eye at the beginning of what she wants to tell you.


"Come on, guys!  In your seats!  Let's go to the store!"
"Mommy!"
"Yes, M."
"Mommy!"
"Yes, M."
"Mommy, Mommy!"
"Yes, M.  I'm driving, what do you need?"
"Mommy!  Mommy!  Mommy!  Mommy!"
"I'm listening, M.  What?"
"Mommy, Mommy, MOMmy!"

At which point you pull your rearview mirror down so she can make eye contact with you:  "YES!"

"We go store?"

"Yes, M.  We are going to the store."  And then she puts her paci in until the next question.  Thank goodness for that paci.  I remember when I told my dad I was worried about her not talking.  He told me not to wish for it too soon because once she started she would never stop.  Why are parents always right?