Parenting with Puccini

  "THUMP!!! THUMP!!! THUMP!!!!KICK!! KICK!!! KICK!!!! KICK!!!!!

This is what it sounds like whenever I close a door behind me. It doesn't matter what I do, if a door clicks closed with Scott on the outside, the next thing I hear is Scott kicking that door with all his might in relentless repetition.  It is frustrating to say the least. I'm sure I'm not the first mother to cry in exasperation "Just let me pee in peace, CHILD!" But alas, no matter how I respond to the situation, it is a phase he is holding onto for dear life. The other day, in an effort to deal with the situation, I did what I know best, I sang to him. I really wanted to scream, but instead I opted for opera. This resulted in one of my more stellar moments as a mom.

I watched as my son stared up at me in utter shock and surprise as I opened the door mid kick, swung my arms out wide above him as if greeting a grand audience and started singing in full voice "Mi struggoe mi tormento! O Scotty, stop kicking the door!"

An excerpt from "O Mio Babbino Caro" by Puccini, whose line translates to "I struggle, I'm tormented!" And then my addition, and admonition to stop kicking the door. Good news is, he stopped kicking the door. However, I do wonder if he will grow up to have an unexplained aversion to "O Mio Babbino Caro".... 

DD