The line between promise and threat can be razor sharp. It’s best to treat it like anything else with a sharp edge: with care.

As his second birthday approaches, Adam has become familiar with the concept of “time out.” Thus far we have used it sparingly, such as when he drops prone to the floor in the throes of a full-bore tantrum. Thankfully those occasions have been somewhat rare, but they have been often enough to teach Adam the meaning of the words. All the same, a particular event yesterday was surprising.

CHERYL: “Adam, don’t touch.”
ADAM: (Touches the stereo.)
CHERYL: “Adam, don’t touch.”
ADAM: (Touches the stereo.)
CHERYL: “Adam, if you touch that again you’re going in time out.”
ADAM: (Touches the stereo, runs to his room, and closes the door… thereby putting himself in time out.)
CHERYL: “John, did you see what Adam just did?”
JOHN: “What?”
CHERYL: (Chuckling, describes what Adam just did…) “I think that’s a blog entry for sure.”
JOHN: “Yeah, just what we need: another child that produces blog entries.”

Et tu, Adam?