Conversations with Erin
Conversation No. 1
Yesterday evening:
Erin (whines): I WANT to go to PO PO*'s house! I WANT to eat PO PO's food!
Dad: Haven't I taught you to ask politely for the things you want? What happened to your "please" and "May I"?
Erin (stays silent for a second, then speaks): My "May I" escaped from me.
Dad (chokes): ...
Erin: Everytime I want to say "May I", my "May I" is gone! I think "May I" is tired, or sleepy. I call, "May I!", "May I!", but there's no answer.
Dad (nonplussed): Right.
Two seconds pass.
Erin (says sweetly): May I go to Po Po's house, please?
Dad (acts surprised): Your "May I" and "Please" came back!
Erin: Yeah! They did!
*Po Po - grandmother
Conversation No. 2
This morning:
Dad: Buckle up your seat belt please! If you're cold, go and hug Molly (soft toy)
Erin (whines): I'm TIRED! Don't ask me so many questions!
Dad: I told you to hug Molly. I didn't ask any questions.
Erin (keeps whining): I don't wanna hug Molly!
Dad (makes fatal mistake): Oh, why?
Erin: "Why?" is a question.
Yesterday evening:
Erin (whines): I WANT to go to PO PO*'s house! I WANT to eat PO PO's food!
Dad: Haven't I taught you to ask politely for the things you want? What happened to your "please" and "May I"?
Erin (stays silent for a second, then speaks): My "May I" escaped from me.
Dad (chokes): ...
Erin: Everytime I want to say "May I", my "May I" is gone! I think "May I" is tired, or sleepy. I call, "May I!", "May I!", but there's no answer.
Dad (nonplussed): Right.
Two seconds pass.
Erin (says sweetly): May I go to Po Po's house, please?
Dad (acts surprised): Your "May I" and "Please" came back!
Erin: Yeah! They did!
*Po Po - grandmother
Conversation No. 2
This morning:
Dad: Buckle up your seat belt please! If you're cold, go and hug Molly (soft toy)
Erin (whines): I'm TIRED! Don't ask me so many questions!
Dad: I told you to hug Molly. I didn't ask any questions.
Erin (keeps whining): I don't wanna hug Molly!
Dad (makes fatal mistake): Oh, why?
Erin: "Why?" is a question.