January 24, 2005

We Are Not Amused

Here's a new topic for my Wednesday morning parent discussion group: How do you stop your two-year-old from referring to himself in the third person?

The first couple of times I heard him, I thought it was cute. Now it's irritating, and what is worse, I find myself doing it as well. All day I've listened to

The Governor wants another glass of milk.

The Governor wants you to read him another story.

The Governor had a poo-poo go awry. (He picked up that phrase from The VP during last week's stomach flu bout.)

The Governor will protect you from the bad guys.

The Governor doesn't like corn anymore.

And so forth. At one point I found myself saying, "The Mother doesn't like it when..."

Has he been tuning in the BBC when I haven't been watching? As far as I know, The Justice League doesn't have any British royalty among its members. I don't have a son anymore, I just have his press agent.

The Cathy will let you know if she happens upon a cure.

Posted by Cathy at January 24, 2005 07:08 PM
Comments

The favorite auntie thinks its cute. BTW, the flu has swept through our house, 3 out of 4 of us have had it. The fourth I'm praying gets it, because in order for him to have any sympathy for the rest of us, he has to experience it for himself.

Posted by: Aunt S at January 24, 2005 08:23 PM

I'm not up on pop-culture referents, but doesn't Donald Trump refer to himself in the third person?

I know Bob Dole did, but he predates The Governor by a bit.

Posted by: aelfheld at January 24, 2005 08:56 PM

Fabulous!! :)

Posted by: yayaempress at January 25, 2005 10:40 AM

The Nana is reading your blog from south of the equator.

Posted by: Nana at January 25, 2005 01:35 PM

Repeat as often as necessary: This is just a phase. It, too, will pass.

Every so often my nearly 4yo will say, "Me done with lunch," or something like that, the way Ducky in the execrable (but really not that bad, considering) "Land Before Time" movies talks. I look him straight in the eye and say, "Don't talk like that," quite matter-of-factly, and then let it go.

2yo's are quite old enough to be told "You sound goofy when you talk like that," and often it's enough to get them to cut it out. Perhaps I am an evil parent for telling my kids that they're bizarre (well, sometimes, they are!), but their egos are not that fragile, and I need my sanity.

Just remember: the behaviors you pay the most attention to? Those are the behaviors you get more of. (Excuse all the trailing prepositions) Seriously, if you decide to do or say anything, don't make a big deal of it, or the practice will never end.

Good luck.

Posted by: Joan at January 26, 2005 02:23 AM

Ooh, ooh, I know this one. I accidentally cured my nephew of it for my sister about 15 years ago. I babysat him once when he was on that kick, and he started to say things like "Ricky wants to go out in the yard" or "Ricky needs a drink of water". I promptly replied "tell him to come talk to me himself and we'll see".

Cured him right up. It was one of the only times my sister ever liked me.

Posted by: Dan at January 26, 2005 09:01 AM

Dan! That's terrific. Thanks for the idea.

Posted by: Cathy at January 26, 2005 02:53 PM