Unlimited Cupcakes By Colleen Tirtirian In the parenting world, there are few things that everyone can agree upon. I believe, however, that one of the universally accepted ideas about kids is that they are funny creatures. They do silly things, act ridiculously, and, most importantly, they say the most absurd things. Yet, for all the strange statements and unrelenting demands, there is an equal number of adorable moments. Whether it’s a cute moment or one that makes me cringe, I cannot help but smile when I think back on some of the statements I’ve made as a parent in response to my children. Before I became a parent, I’d worked with toddlers frequently – from babysitting gigs to camp counselor, and even a teacher’s helper – I’ve always enjoyed being around this age group. I guess you could say I’ve been privy to the toddler mind and have a sort of understanding; they are in a world all their own and their imaginations are wild. As a parent now, I love watching how my daughter creates scenarios between her dolls and makes up stories about them. My heart is full when I see my son running around the house, saying he is going to “save the day with his superpowers.” Each child truly believes in what they are doing. It is not pretend to them – it is real. Since toddlers feel everything deeply, I’ve been keeping a running list of the things I never thought I would say as a parent. I do this mostly for myself as a way to remember the little moments that I would otherwise forget. I also do it because I want to show my kids, at a later date, some of the things they’ve said or done. It all boils down to memories. Over the past year or so, I’ve found myself trying to talk my toddlers out of major meltdowns over some pretty small-fry things (not so adorable in the moment, but later on these become comical). In those moments, I am really attempting to help them come to terms with whatever it is that is bothering them. Still, I cannot help but laugh after we narrowly avert a full-blown toddler crisis.
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