come on

sophia has recently started a new habit. when she wants something and it's not forthcoming due to the non-compliance of her parents, she says, "come on". this phrase can take on many different intonations. sometimes it is cute and coaxing, as in "come on you know you really want to let me." others, it is much more impatient and intolerant, as in "come on, you don't really think you are going to get away with saying no to me, do you?" so, understandably, her deployment of the phrase is by turns amusing and a bit infuriating. it's hard to get a 5-year old to appreciate the subtle differences that make it ok to try to muscle it at this time but not that. i think she knows to say it in different ways at different times, but doesn't appreciate how much difference the setting makes...so we're gonna put the kibosh on it for now. no more "come on"s to the parents. yes, that might work. i suspect she just might devise some other innovative way to push, pry and pull for what she wants, because she is in the middle.