Dr. No

Abbie seems to have finally mastered usage of the word, “No.” Until recently, the closest she would give us to a negative response was to ignore us and hope we’d forget. As annoying as it is to hear “no” all the time, her new word has some useful applications.

“Abbie, do you want yogurt for lunch?”
“No.”

That exchange tells me not to waste time and food opening a container of yogurt.

“Abbie, do you need to use the potty?”
“No.”

That tells me not to bother with the bathroom. Either she doesn’t need to or doesn’t want to use the potty. Either way, it’s also a good heads up to have towels ready just in case.

“Abbie, it’s bath time.”
“No!”

Notice that one isn’t a question, so she’s learned to apply her word across multiple situations. This direct defiance might seem like one of her more annoying uses, but I can turn it against her. By interpreting her word as “now,” it reinforces the urgency that she needs to get in the tub before she stalls bedtime until 10pm again. Plus, it’s really annoying for her when I don’t understand what she’s saying, so hopefully she’ll get the hint that annoying isn’t fun.