It's Hard Not to Laugh

NT repeats everything he hears. Unfortunately, the Mister does not always watch his language around the small boys. He also tends to make alot of empty threats towards the boys when he wants them to do something, i.e. "Go get ready for bed or I'll...", "Clean up your toys or..." or "Get dressed before...". Our little mockingbird hears all this and files it away for future use. So every now and then, NT makes threats of his own. To SP when they are playing, "If you don't give me that toy, I am gonna to pour water on your head!" To me at dinner time, "If you make me eat this, I'm gonna to lick your eyeballs!" I try to keep a straight face and explain that isn't an acceptable way to talk to each other. Sometimes he struggles with finding the appropriate threat and it goes like this - "If you make me go to bed, I'm...I'm... I'm gonna...Argghhhh!"

Recently, he pulled a real gem out of the file. During a brotherly power struggle, I hear - "I'll beat your @$$!" SP immediately comes running, "Mom! NT said he'll beat my @$$!" NT comes strolling after, cool as a cucumber, "Yep, I did." I had to take a minute to compose myself before dealing with that one but I think he now understands that he shouldn't say that. At least, that's what I'm assuming since he tells me at least once a day, "Mom, I shouldn't say I'm gonna beat your @$$."

I'm so glad we don't have to worry about that anymore!