What happens if....

I don't?

That would be Colby's most favorite question right now. He asks it about 20 times a day..."What happens if I don't wash my hands? What happens if I don't hang my coat up? What happens if I don't be quiet? What happens if I don't drink my milk? What happens if I don't brush my teeth?" (His teacher actually said this is a very good thing...he's weighing his options and thinking about cause and effect...not just following along because he's told.)

I find that sometimes, when I have patience, I take the time to tell him why it's important to do certain things. Such as "It's important to brush your teeth to remove the plaque that can cause cavities". However, on a day when I have a shorter fuse, I may give an answer such as "It's important to brush your teeth because if you don't your teeth will fall out and you'll never eat goldfish again". The second route is actually much more effective.

I did go into a little too much detail when we were discussing the importance of holding hands. For a very long time, Colby would not hold my hand....ever. We had a discussion about strangers and how if he didn't hold my hand in a crowded place, a stranger could take him. One question led to another, and I found myself describing in detail a stranger's house. Colby asked lots of questions: "Is there poo poo inside a stranger's house? Does it smell bad? Is there yucky food? Is there a yucky bed?" Before I knew it, I had created the image of a "yucky house" that I'm sure has been the cause of most of his nightmares. Now, when we drive around, he will say "Is that a yucky house? Is that where a stranger lives?" I've learned that there's a fine line between instilling a little healthy fear in your child and scaring the sh*t out of them.

On another note, here's a little video of Miller taken during the snowstorm.