反抗期

I learned a new word in Japanese recently, 反抗期 (hankouki, pronounced hankouki), which means 'contrary'. Or rather, in Cian's case, incredibly mule-headed contrary. The boy is at that precious time in his life where everything is a willful battle between him and his apparently overbearing parents. And common sense has nothing to do with it.

"Cian, stay away from the stove! It's hot, you'll burn yourself!"

"No, Cian wants to burn me".

Or,

"Cian, eat your dinner. Or you'll starve to death!"

"Starve, okay".

We try contra-suggestions such as "Okay Cian, don't go for a pee-pee in your potty, you can go ahead and wet your pants", and unfortunately he then takes us up on our suggestion.

So matters quickly descend into threats and punishments, "If you don't get into your pyjamas, you'll sleep outside. Again." (That one, incidentally, is Sanae). My fear is that this stage is just the beginning, and we are in for another, Oh God, seventeen or so more years of this.