Know What You Want

Mommy: Where's your milk?


Sophie: Ummm, I don't think I'm thirsty right now, but I'll want it when I do.

These were words that should have warned us of the trouble to come. Spoken by a two year-old, they were words of independence, confidence and self assurance.

At the time, they were just funny; cute and memorable. The fact that I laughed and tucked the phrase away to remember with fondness is proof that Sophie is our only child. If she had been the second, alarms would have gone off and flags would have raised themselves high.

I think it's outstanding that the young lady knows what she wants and when she wants it and I hope that never diminishes. I hope she develops a desire to set goals and reach them. Someday.

What happens these days, however, isn't encouraging her in the notion that she can get what she wants when she wants. The opposite is taking place. Much to her chagrin and irritation, many times the lines to a song that she has yet to hear in full gets sung to her when she says that she wants something (and now).

"You can't always get what you want. But if you try sometimes; you get what you need." ~ Rolling Stones

Yes, we aren't beneath singing classic rock to our youngster in order to make a point. And it drives her crazy. But she listens. Most of the time. Now that her television watching includes stations with commercials (shudder), the "want vs. need" conversations have been ratcheted up a notch or two. We watch advertisements for absolutely inane and downright stupid toys and, of course, she wants them...NOW. She wants them until we discuss what the toy really is; the fact that the commercial makes it look as though the 'super hero' is alive and can do all those nifty things, when if fact, it just moves its arms up and down.

"But Mommy," she'll respond after hearing a true description of one of those gadgets, "McDonald's toys do that and they're free and break all the time. I don't want that."

Ah, from the mouth of babes.