The Art of Manipulation
Everyday I watch Grace learning new ways to shape the world she lives in to get what she wants. She has discovered that if she wants me to get off the swing (she always says "no no no" if I sit on it, which is usually followed by a "It's good to share," conversation), she then indicates to me that she wants to hang on the monkey bars, but as soon as I get up from the swing and go over to her she says "no," goes down the slide and climbs on the swing. Grace has done this 3 times in the last 2 days so I know she has it all figured out – "I want mommy off my swing, so pretend to want to climb the monkey bars, because mom said no climbing unless there is an adult present, mom gets up, I say no no I don't want to climb the monkey bars, quickly go down the slide and I get my swing back"