THE TERRIBLE TWOS

Dear Spike:

Crayon on the dresser. Tantrums on the floor. Your birthday is still two months away, but I fear we're already well into the "terrible twos."

You're starting to make a lot of decisions for yourself — and you just don't like it when we try to make them for you. And so you get defiant. And angry. And ugly.

I understand. I don't like it when people tell me what to do, either. But you're still a small, small girl and the world is a big, big place, so you still need a bit of help. That's what parents are for.

And although I know it would be easiest to just let you get away with your recent spate of naughtiness and to give into your tantrums — "You want a steak knife? Fine! here's a steak knife!" — we just can't do that. That's not what we're here for.

So we'll keep helping you make good decisions, until you make 'em mostly on your own. We've only got one chance to get you right, kid, and by golly we're gonna do it.

Love,
dad