Me: Calvin, it’s time to pack away your toys.
Calvin: Not now!
Me: Yes, now!
Calvin: But I can’t! I can’t!
Methinks he is trying to get away with the packing by saying he can’t do it. He has learnt the “not now” from me. *sigh* I have probably overused the words. Of course I won’t let him get away with it so easily. I decided to be positive and said to him “Yes you can and I’ll show you how”. It worked.
On another occasion ….
Me: Calvin, that’s not a nice thing to do and I’m going to have to discipline you.
Calvin: But I don’t like it!
He probably thought he could escape his punishment by expressing verbally that he did not like to be disciplined. Of course he was disciplined for his misbehaviour. I really wonder where and when has he learnt to use the word “but”? I know he can say “I don’t like it”, but using in this context is a first for me. I’d better not underestimate Calvin’s language ability. 🙂