Abstract...

...for abstract Thursday, & huge thanks to Ingeborg for her long term challenge. I went to Walmart for groceries this morning, and as I was standing in line to check out I was watching the young woman ahead of me who had a little girl in the seat of the cart--I'd guess the little girl was about  2 y.o., as she didn't talk in sentences--& an infant in a carrier inside the cart who was fast asleep. I watched with initial fascination as the little girl reached out to touch the warmer (where they keep the broasted chicken) & instead of the  "No, that's hot..don't touch it"  that I expected, the mom took her daughters' hand and said: "Honey, do you remember the talk we had about choices? It's your decision, but you might want to re-think this."  Say WHAT??  The little girl jerked her hand away and started whining. And the mom says: "It's okay to be angry. We all have feelings and you can feel however you want. But you need to think about your choices. Is this the choice you want to make"?  WHAT??  WHAT?? The girl is 2, not 10!   What two year old can understand the kind of complex thinking involved in making choices and talking about feelings? Am I wrong? Am I missing something?   I'm sorry, Mae, but you're stuck with "old school" Grandma. If you attempt to touch something hot all you're going to get from me is the "Don't touch it & you'd better listen" routine........     :)))