This happened a few weeks ago. The kids are having a funtime playing with their mom. I enter the room, which usually sets off the anxiety for Vian. Vian: I don’t need you, appa. Yoshi: That’s not very nice. Vian: Go away, appa. Yoshi: Can you say something nice to appa? Vian: Appa, can you pleeease go away? Me: Thank you! That’s much better. 

One of the ways we trained Sempi to say “Please” and “Thank you” is by asking him “What do you say?” after he receives a favor from someone. With that context in mind, this conversation happened in the car. Vian: Can I have that monster truck, Sempi? Sempi: Here you go. Vian takes the truck. Sempi being the responsible older brother wants to teach Vian good manners. Sempi: What do you say, Vian?...

Vian is having lunch. I’m still making a plate for myself. He requests some water, so brought him a cup of water. Vian: Appa, this is too watery. Me: I’m glad to hear that Vian. The water is supposed to be watery. Vian: No appa, I can’t drink it. Me: Why not? Vian: Because it is too watery. I walked over to him to check it out. He was complaining because I filled the water to the brim and he couldn’t drink out of it....

It was a cold Sunday morning. Sempi doesn’t want to leave the house. I’m trying to convince him to go out for family brunch. Yoshi is still getting ready. Sempi: I don’t want to go. I want to stay home and play legos. Me: If you want to stay home, that’s fine. I’m going out for brunch. Sempi: Ok. Me: I’m taking Vian with me. Sempi: Ok, you can take Vian and I’ll stay with Amma....

It is no secret that both Sempi and Vian prefer their mom over me. Vian perceives me as the guy who lives in the same house and occasionally grabs him from his mom to change his diaper. If I happen to enter a room in which he is playing, he will preemptively declare “I don’t need you, appa”. Which is a wonderfully heartwarming phrase to hear from your child. A couple of days ago, the entire family was in the living room....