Turns

One of the things I realized we need to work on teaching Alex since he is the only beast child ruling our house is taking turns. Unless we force the issue, he doesn't have to take turns. It's not like Travis and I are begging to play with the mini golf clubs or toy shopping cart. And quite frankly, we aren't begging for our turn with the shop vac either. Toddlers don't want to take turns...ever. And that is bad enough. But a toddler that doesn't understand the concept of taking turns? Then you get the tantrum with the added confusion of "Turns? What the hell are you talking about?"

This is yet another benefit of daycare. The kids there do want to play with the same things he wants to play with. So turns must be taken. He is getting pretty good at vocalizing who's turn it is. My turn? Your turn? Puppy turn? That being said, he is muuuuch happier with "my turn" than "your turn". Your turn is never quite a genuine offer. It is so obvious he is lookin' for the atta boy when he offers a turn to anyone else. An answer of, Why yes I would love to pretend to toast plastic bread in a plastic toaster, produces a sad Alex. I am onto you dude. Nice try though.

When we were at the hotel last weekend, there was a little boy that wanted to play with the dinosaur grabby thing. A little boy that was actually going to put tokens in the machine and attempt to win something. Alex was hanging out with Grandma at this point, but she very happily reported that when she told him it was the other little boy's turn, he didn't throw a fit and he calmly let go of the grabby handle thing. He stood there and watched the kid like he was a chubby little mouse and Alex was a starving hawk, but he let him have a turn. Good good.