The problem with even the most learned and verbose 2 year old seems to be the epic gap between what you tell them and what they repeat to others. Clarification: NOT qualifying my son among the most learned … most verbose? Possibly, but not so much with the smarts at this point.
Example of what I mean: an altercation between my boys this week …
Chase and Aidan had both been standing in the doorway of their room and Chase wanted to leave the room, so he did. Problem: Chase is unaware of his size or anything he comes into contact with as he moves towards a desired goal. Therefore, it’s not unusual for him to literally walk into, over, and practically through either of his siblings. Aidan, perceiving a physical grievance (is accidental body slamming a grievance?) screamed and said “Chasey hit me!”. Having seen the entire thing, I could vouch for Chase’s having NOT hit him, but rather steam-rolled him. However, semantics are immaterial in the face of 2 year old indignation. In other news, “hit” is apparently a term used for all physical contact. [Must file that one away in the parental memory bank.]
Putting my best parental foot forward, I spoke with Aidan about how his brother hadn’t meant to hurt him…that it had been an accident, but that he could and should go and talk to Chase and tell him that he’d been hurt. [Pretty sure all he heard was “Aidan, blah, blah, accident, blah, blah”]
The next thing I heard was Aidan tracking Chase down in the living room for a brotherly confrontation:
“Chase!”
“Uh!” [this is how Chase responds to Aidan screaming his name across the room – I think it’s a cross between “What do you want?” and “Really? If you wanted to talk to me, you’d come sit on me, so as you’re still across the room, I don’t care yet”]
“Chase, you are an accident! Did you hear me, Chase? You are an ACCIDENT!”
“Uh!”
Hmm, I think we missed something …