Olivia, 18 months old, and I took a walk around the neighborhood. As we approached the street corner, I said to Olivia, “Now, you must hold Mommy’s hand, because cars are dangerous.”
Sweet little thing looked up at me with those innocent brown eyes and blonde hair: "No.”
I tried again: “Hold my hand while we cross the road, Olivia.”
“No.”
Dr. Dobson would call this the “hairy toe” ready to step over the line the parent had drawn. Well, this was child number 3, and I knew I had to win. I took hold of her hand and started across the road. Halfway across, Olivia performed what I call the "jelly-leg maneuver," sitting right down in the middle of the road. Keeping Dr. Dobson in mind, I picked her up, walked back to the sidewalk, and said, “You hold my hand!”
“No.”
I gave her a smart pat on her double diaper and said again, “You hold my hand!”
“No.”
My next “pat” reached below the diaper to the uncovered upper leg. Then I said, “Now, Olivia, hold my hand!” She did! And we crossed the road without further incident. I was so thankful that I had Dr. Dobson to guide me through life with a strong-willed child!
— Marcia, Minnesota
