1,2,3

I swore I would NEVER be that parent who counts to their children when they want them to do something.  I'll be honest - it used to drive me nuts when I was in a public place and would witness a parent doing it....

"Tommy???  Come here, Tommy."

"NO!"

"Tommy?  ONE!!!!  TWO!!!!  TWO AND A QUARTER!!!!  TWO AND A HALF!!!!  Tommy???? If I get to three, you know what will happen!!!!"

BUT - I'm THAT parent now!  Because, IT WORKS!!!!!  Granted, I  haven't gotten to the "Two and a quarter, Two and a half" point, but that's because I don't have to!  I'm not kidding - if I want Alex to do something and he isn't doing it?  I just start counting and by the time I'm done with 2?  He's doing it! 

It started out as a fun game (you know, because I didn't want to be THAT parent).  So, I would make it playful and turn it more into a game of "I'm going to count to three and if you don't start walking upstairs, Mommy's going to carry you" and would then carry on with "1, 2, THREEE!!!!  (picture my voice starting low and then getting high as though I am pushing him on  swing or doing something else fun). And, he thought that was fun and would do whatever I wanted him to do.  Well, then, he started getting older and wiser and is no longer falling for the "1,2,THREE!!!!!" in a high pitched, fun voice thing.  So, now, I've started getting stern  - I've started being THAT parent.  But, man! It works. 

NOW - the only question is - what when will he figure out that I actually have no idea what in the hell I am going to do when and if I ever get to 3?  I guess we'll both figure that out when the time comes...