Monday, February 25, 2008

The Art of Guilt

Laying on the guilt is instinctual. I know this because my almost-21-month-old daughter has become an expert. Out of nowhere she will start repeating "I sowy, I sowy" for no apparent reason. We can be driving in the car and the refrain will start coming out of the back seat, or we will be playing in the living room and she will look up at me an say it ever so sweetly.

It kills me. I am concerned that if someone overhears her saying this without provocation they will think I am inflicting some kind of psychological abuse on my baby girl that makes her apologize ALL THE TIME.

Sometimes she does use it instead of "excuse me" and I am pretty sure I taught this to her. Don't we all apologize when we are scootching past someone in the grocery store or similar situation? Why is that? Should I be sorry that I have to ask you to move because you decided to set up shop with your cell phone in the middle of the aisle?

Oddly enough, she doesn't say it as often when it is warranted. Like when she bites or hits Mommy and Daddy. When does discipline start working anyway?

4 comments:

Robyn said...

Don't beat yourself up about it. I think she doesn't fully understand what it means just yet. She just knows that you're happy when she says it because she's being polite.

BTW, you and I are on the same page today. Wait until you see my post!

KiKi said...

Just means the kids has manners. (No way she's gonna be a pushover.)

You done gone.

A's Mom said...

If you find out that answer, please let me know!

Stephanie said...

I'm pretty sure discipline kicks in around the 35-40 mark... that's years, not months. :)