Please and Thank You

I am a fan of please and thank you. My mom taught us to use please and thank you growing up, and I think the words thank you are more than enough to show and acknowledge sincere gratitude. In high school, when I worked for the local fast food restaurant one of the managers wanted to meet my mom because he told me I was the most polite high schooler he'd ever met. The only difference I could see was that I said please and thank you and meant it.

As we raise Noah, I don't want to tell him to say please and thank you. I just don't want to force things on him. But I make sure to say please and thank you to show him that I respect the choices he makes and that I am grateful when he is thoughtful or that I don't want to demand behavior from him.

These words have not gone unnoticed. Noah happily tells us "yes" and "no" when we ask questions. But lately when he really doesn't want to do something he yells, "Nooooo, pleeeeaaaassseee!" No please is a new favorite phrase around here.

"Noah want mommy to change your diaper?"

"No please!"


"Noah can you take one bite of that chicken on your plate?"

"No please!"


"Noah it's time to leave the park. Can you help me pick up the sand toys?"

"Nooooo, pllllleeeeaaassseee!"


No please is both adorable and sort of heartbreaking at once. I know that Noah realizes it's a nice thing to say, but he seems absolutely heartbroken if I don't respect the please part so I have to proceed with caution if I'm going to go against what he's asking. I like that the please let's me know something is important to him. Sometimes he doesn't want a diaper change because he's about to go to the bathroom again. Sometimes he doesn't want the chicken because he hasn't finished chewing the last piece or he's about to sneeze.

When he says please I listen and try to oblige.