Why Not Mama?

So today, Justin and I are doing the normal afternoon nap routine and just as he is settled in and almost asleep Justin looks up and says "Mama, more milk please?". I quietly told him "No, Justin you don't need anymore milk." Normally my two year old son would sweetly say "Okay, Mama" but not today. Oh no...today my two year old looks up with a confused look and says "Why not Mama?". I was thrown off by this question because this was a first.

As I was sitting here tonight thinking about Justin's little question, I really should not of been shocked by this. I always have said that Justin needs to know why you do something or an explanation needs to be given if I am going to tell him no about something. I don't want Justin to be one of those kids that just does something because Mom or Dad told him. I want him to understand the reasoning behind things not just be a little mimic.

For example, last week my in-laws were on this kick about insisting Justin saying "Yes mam or No Sir". I didn't say anything at first but one day it started bothering me. So I spoke up and said "I don't think he is old enough to understand the whole "Yes Mam, No Sir". I was answered with "Well he just needs to know to say it." I dropped it because I did not want to start something but I knew that Justin would not understand. So one day later, Justin was telling me "NO". I told him to stop saying "NO" or he will go in time out. Sure enough he said it again and I put him in time out. As I shut his door, Justin started crying and saying "I sorry Mama. I sorry Mama." And then the next toddler sentence confirmed my stand on him not understanding "No Mam, No Sir". Justin says "I sorry Mama...No mam No mam". I laughed because he thought that it's okay to say No as long as you say "No mam."

So my little Justin is exactly who I am raising him to be. He is asking me why and I want him to always know the real meaning not just because my Mama said so.