Grandson Lessons – Testing Limits with a Smile

One thing little kids are good at is testing limits. I’ve watched this with my eighteen-month-old grandson.

There are some that are non-negotiable, such as holding Grandpa’s hand while crossing a street. Of course, when he gets older this will change, but for now this is the rule.

Our grandson is very good at trying to negotiate less critical limits. As an example, I have a bookshelf in my home office that he can reach. He loves pulling out books, which I have asked him not to do. His response—he gives me a big smile and keeps doing it. I will say in a loud, authoritative voice, “No!” He grins and pulls out another book. He knows this technique is more effective than throwing a tantrum. We usually reach a compromise of leaving my books alone and giving him a pickleball to play with instead.