Reply #2: It's bullshit. Sort of. [View All]

[TexasObserver]

When a toddler is about to stick the fork in a socket, NO! is the word.

When a toddler is about to stick a fork in a dog, NO! is the word.

When a toddler runs loose in the mall, NO! is the word.

NO! works because it's fast, and that's what you need when you're watching a toddler.

Explaining NO! comes after getting the intercession NO! brings.


Kids already know they aren't supposed to do IT most of the time, whatever IT is. Being two is about challenging limits, about investigating, and about repeating NO! back to mommy and daddy. You can change the language, but the process is timeless.

It's good to explain things to kids, but first you have to stop them from doing whatever it is they are about to do, or doing.