Please and Thank You

We work with my son on manners, to varying degrees of success.

He has 'please' down pat. That's the magic word; it's how you get things from the Big People.

'Thank you' is a mixed bag. Sometimes he'll say it, sometimes he won't. When he won't say it, he gives me a look that says "What more do you want from me? I said 'please', therefore I earned this goldfish and victory is mine. Move along, Big Person. Fetch more goldfish...please."

Other times, he'll say it when I'm not really expecting it. He'll get his truck stuck in a corner and say, "Help you?" I'll turn the truck around, then hear a quiet "Thank you."

Other things he'll say, just not at the appropriate time. When we're leaving my mom's house, she'll say, "Bye-bye!" He'll stare at her as if to say, "Why are you leaving? I thought this was your house." Then when we're backing out of the driveway, we hear from the backseat, "Bye-bye, Nanny."

But the best was last night. I had prayed with him, sung to him (poor guy) and tucked him in. "I love you, Bubs", I said as I headed to the door. And as I closed it, I could hear very quietly,

"Wove you."


Thank you, Son.
.