Raise the Bar

I had a conversation with a friend today that reminded me of something I have realized having become a parent - people just do not expect enough out of their children. The conversation went something like this:
Friend and father of 1-year-old (to me and another co-worker): "So, did your kids go through separation anxiety where they just whine until you pick them up?"
Me: "Well, he went through separation anxiety when I would leave him at particular discrete ages, but he's never whined until I picked him up. If he's whining because he wants something, I do not do what he wants until he stops whining. It's always been that way, so we don't have that problem."
Friend: "So, how do we make him stop?"
Me: "Stop picking him up when he whines. Tell him that he has to be a big boy if he wants you to hold him."
Friend: "Well, [wife] won't let that happen."
Me: "Well, he won't stop."

This isn't rocket science people. I hear people say things like "well he's just a baby" or "I can't expect him to talk" or "he's too young to say thank you when he gets something" or "he's too young to say please" or "he just doesn't understand." Balogna. At the end of the day, our kids are going to do what we require them to do to get what they want. Require more, and they will do more. Require your children to say thank you when they learn to talk. Require your children to point at something they want if they can't talk yet and not whine for it. And when they start talking, by all means, expect them to tell you what they want. Let's raise the bar Moms and Dads - our children will thank us one day. And so will the people at the table next to you at the restaurant.