I'll start with the oldest and go down from there. Better to embarrass the big ones first, don't you think?
When Delia was younger she got stuck in a tree while climbing onto the roof of the house. She was
Delia hates to write. So for every book report, every paper, every answer in paragraph form, we heard the words, "I can't!"
Shelby was afraid to learn to ride a bike. You know the kid in every neighborhood that learns to ride last? Yep, proud parents we are. "I can't! I can't! I can't!" She was eleven in case you're wondering.
Shelby hates math. Algebra, to be exact. You got it - "I can't!" That one we are still working on. One hundred and eleven years old, maybe? (I thought an algebra equation would be cute there, but ... "I can't!")
Izzy was the baby for so many years. She never had to do much of anything on her own, so many people to pamper her. There weren't alot of "I can'ts!" Just much bellowing for her sisters.
Izzy loves science. For every other subject - need I say it?
Now Max is the baby. Might be pretty cruel to talk trash about the baby. He is a baby, though. He'll never know. Max doesn't want to learn to use the potty. That's a post all its own. So far we haven't heard those tender, beloved words. Just a bunch of, "No!"s. But they are coming - sure as the sun shines.
This blog belongs to me and I make all the rules so you are not going to get to hear all of my cannots. He's Too Good To Me might not be so good to me if I told you all of his cannots. But I will give you this - drumroll - another book recommendation!
Many of you know this book, 'I Can't' Said the Ant
. It's an absolutely delightful story by Polly Cameron about an ant who wanted to help Miss Teapot when she fell over. "'The tea was too hot.' 'Push her up,' said the cup. 'I can't,' said the ant."
. It's an absolutely delightful story by Polly Cameron about an ant who wanted to help Miss Teapot when she fell over. "'The tea was too hot.' 'Push her up,' said the cup. 'I can't,' said the ant."The book continues on with these charming rhymes until - well, I don't want to spoil the ending. Once I cried and my children laughed at me.
Perfect to read to a toddler but with some words difficult enough for a third grader to read independently. Well, my third graders anyway. 'Cause, you know, they might not could before then. But you'll want to read this one with them, it's appealing to any age. Makes you want to break into song. Here's a perfect one.
Here's the bad news, my friend. This book is out of print. But as luck has it, Amazon has a few new and used copies through independent sellers. Buy yourself one, I can't give mine up.
http://www.amazon.com/I-Cant-Said-Ant/dp/0698301978
