I really am concerned that Oliver might be awful if someone ever started crying in my living room. Worrying about things like that keeps me from doing anything productive.
Anyway-we were watching some reality show that involved bawling and he started in with the jeering and it just hit me-so I said, nicely "Oh No NO NO....Mister BIRD-when someone cries you say "I'm Sorry".
Then I proceeded to make crying noises and then say brightly "I'm sorry". Oliver tipped his head and watched and listened intently.
Finally-I bawled and bawled and asked "Now, what do you say Mister Bird?" and he puffed up importantly and said "You want some POPCORN?"
I choose to see this as step in the right direction, because he didn't shout OH BOO HOO HOO CRYBABY.
I know exactly where he learned this in the first place-the last season we watched The Biggest Loser it was a big cryfest and it annoyed me. Now when he does it and I'm crying it makes me laugh and feel better but I'd like to teach him a more appropriate default behavior just in case someone is upset and not so inclined to think everything Oliver does is perfect.
Yesterday it rained and we watched a remake of Night of the Living Dead. He started laughing and laughing and that made ME laugh and I thought there is no one on the planet I'd rather watch a zombie movie with than Mister Bird.
9 comments:
at least he's not saying something like: up yours! :O lol
That bird!!! I'll bet if he did do that to a friend who was crying they'd crack up and forget their troubles!
xo
How I love your Oliver! He's too adorable! I know if I was crying and he started in on me, I WOULD start laughing....
"Night of the Living Dead"? You are one brave lady.....too scary for me!
♥ Robin ♥
this is hilarious, debra kay. the whole idea of oliver scorning sympathy, not to mention the reality, makes me laugh.
you make him sound quite human in his responses. is he?!!
i love your humor.
love
kj
Oliver is consistent within a context, which indicates to me has has some ability to understand.
Even his habit of making bodily noises as soon as someone goes into the bathroom makes sense-he has excellent hearing and for him-that is what happens when someone goes in "that room".
He was somewhat fearful and aggressive when I first got him-so we don't do scary things-and if something is scary-we laugh at it. So all the zombie noises just delighted him-as did the red blood-he loves red!
He saw Shawn whatsisname-the English guy who lives with wolves on Nat Geo the other night and started howling-Living with the Wolfman was his favorite show on animal planet for a long time. Now, Shawn was howling too on Nat Geo-but I really do think Oliver remembered the other show.
He also remembers CD's and things-so why not TV?
Clever birdie!
am taking a 'leaf out of your book' debs, and going off the radar for a while, out of bloggyland and concentrating on getting my shit together!
later gater. huggles to you and the gang always.xx
...sometimes I wish cats could laugh...as it's contagious, hahameow!
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