Lessons in Morality

Ali hasn’t hit the terrible two’s yet, of course, but there have been a few times that she has hit out of frustration. Usually inanimate objects or even herself are her objects of wrath, but a couple of times her hand has made it to Mommy. So we’ve been learning about what you can hit (I let her watch “Hit Ball” (Volleyball and other various sports) during the Olympics, which fascinated her), and what you cannot hit.

Often, I will hear her repeat to herself out of the blue, “No no hit Mommy. No no hit Daddy. No no hit AJ. No no hit Ashley.”

Or sometimes, it will be a question, just to make sure of the rules.
Ali: “No no hit Ashley?”
Me: “No no hit Ashley.”
Ali: “No no hit AJ?”
Me: “No no hit AJ.”

We have these conversations a lot.

It has worked, though. She has not hit anyone or even herself out of frustration since she started giving herself these pep talks.

Last week we went to Sam’s, and so she was in the buggy for a while. She started swinging her feet out of boredom and was kicking me, so I explained to her that kicking was a no no also. So now, her morality lessons have become a bit more violent. And Ashley (AJ’s Mom) is her favorite example.

All the time, she just starts telling herself,

“No no hit Ashley. No no kick Ashley.”

This sounds so funny to Chris and I, as if she’s a mob member randomly meditating to herself what she can and cannot do or trying to remind herself what she can’t do to keep her temper in check, so we’ll add in,

“No no brass knuckles Ashley.”

“No no cement shoes Ashley.”

She hasn’t caught onto our additions yet. That’s probably best.