"I DISagree!"

[tgrimes]

Darn Theo... he is getting better at arguing! Earlier tonight, I was arguing with him over this lamp thing in the shape of a dolphin, I bought it for their room, and carter wanted to know when I was putting it in their room, because it's still in the box, and I told him basically 'when I clean off the dressers and then notice they stay that way for a week.'
So, carter goes off to start cleaning his dresser, and theo is arguing where it should go and then decides it can't go in his room at all, so as I started to talk about where I thought it should go he raised his voice slightly louder:
"I DISagree!" and looked me so square in the eye, that and I was actually speechless because of how assertive he was without any trace of whining, anger, defeated posture, shouting, anything that basically 'loses the argument' in an adult argument.
I quit talking (because I had to walk away and snicker) but I think this is a good thing, he argued his point (albeit senseless to me :confused: ) like a big kid today.

[Isabelle]

moms learned from their children, he established a "civil dialogue" "we can disagree without losing it, mom", you talk... i listen, then i talk... you listen
i learned from my dd who told me once i didn't need to shout or get angry...

[gynwhyver]

That's awesome!

[peglem]

Well, that's just great! So, what did you decide with the lamp? I'm hoping it was the best argument you ever lost!

[tgrimes]

Decide? I plan to just wait for his 'timer' to go off, and then he'll say it's fine. I give it two days. :)

[peglem]

Decide? I plan to just wait for his 'timer' to go off, and then he'll say it's fine. I give it two days. :)

I wondered if the egg timer idea would work or not. It occurred to me that he might have to set his internal timer to work up to setting the external one!
And i thought it would be so funny in an ironic sort of way if that happened.

[tgrimes]

I didn't try that yet, I am stumped. Now how would I set something like that up? How do I explain it to him? Maybe this is the perfect opportunity, this lamp, but I need help with how to set it up. This is what I meant about desensitizaion and 'props' I know this can be done, just HOW.

[Isabelle]

perhaps, he is using the timer on you too, waiting for mom to cool off or making her feel guilty to pounce....:D kids are excellent at "reading" parents

[tgrimes]

Ha ha ha! Good point, i'll have to make sure that is not the case first!