Dylan in Wales.

Dylan can count to two. He loves to count at any opportunity: 'One dog. Two dogs. One bike. Two bikes.' (Sometimes instead he will say, 'One bike. Other bike.') Dylan has not yet meaningfully counted items above two, even though he knows the verbal procession 'one two three'.

Dylan in snowman outfit pushing Mu Mu.


Dylan put Daddy's hat on himself.

Dylan led Mummy by the hand toward the stairs. Then he let go of Mummy's hand, turned around, and dragged Daddy also to the stairs. 'He wants both of us to go upstairs with him', said Mummy. But, instead, Dylan closed and locked the stair gate on his unsuspecting parents, with them on one side, and himself on the other. Free of those two and unmolested, he proceeded back to the dining room, alone, and began to play.

Dylan walked all the way home from nursery.

Dylan's sock routine

Mu Mu.

Dylan has a baby named Mu Mu. He feeds her, waters her, straps her into her pram, walks her around, kisses her, and pats and strokes her head. Mu Mu is a good girl.


Mu Mu.

A month or so ago, Mummy concluded that she and Daddy should improve the way in which they communicate with Dylan. Today, as a result, they frequently say to Dylan, 'We want you to XYZ'. (For XYZ, read 'Go upstairs', 'Move away from the rubbish bin', 'Stay on your back while your nappy is changed', etc.) Often, Dylan performs XYZ straight away. If not, then Mummy and Daddy explain to him, 'You have a choice about how you can XYZ. You can either XYZ on your own, voluntarily, or we can help you to XYZ'. At this point, Dylan often decides to perform XYZ on his own. If not, then Mummy and Daddy say, 'On the count of three, we will help you to XYZ... One... two... three'. They rarely count past 'one' before Dylan decides to XYZ on his own. If, however, they do reach 'three', then Mummy and Daddy begin to 'help' Dylan (i.e., they hold, carry, or guide Dylan), while saying, 'Now you have another choice. You can be happy about our helping you to XYZ, or you can be unhappy about it'. Usually Dylan decides to be happy, because he likes being helped. If he is unhappy, then Mummy and Daddy say, 'We can see that you're upset by this, and that's OK'. They think it is OK to be unhappy about some things. While the practice of giving choices to Dylan has its origin in Mummy's decision to communicate better, Daddy gave the practice its formulaic and methodical character.