Two-Year-Olds are Bipolar

Elijah is two. That really ought to be all you need to know. One minute he's dancing around the living room full of joy, the next minute he's screaming, "No! no! no!"

Last night Eli said his first official prayer. Brennan, Tanner, Mommy and Daddy prayed before bedtime and then Elijah said, "Mommy, Daddy, Mommy, Daddy, Amen." We scooped him up and gave him kisses and tucked him into bed, the sweet little angel.

This afternoon he was possessed by Satan. He kicked and screamed in his room, beating the wall and the door, in obstinate defiance of everything his mother did. So I came home from work and sat on him (figuratively speaking) for half an hour until he finally calmed down and fell asleep. Everytime he started to get up I was right there to persuade him that napping was in his own best interest. I even brought a book and got some reading done while I was waiting. I was an immovable force that would not get worn down and wouldn't go away. So he conceded and fell asleep.

Our methods change with Eli depending on the situation but our principle remains the same: We are the parents; we always win. Not because we're getting what we want (far from it most of the time), but because we're getting what's best for him. And we'll never settle for less. We will be more stubborn. Mom and Dad always win. Period.