ABSTRACT
When our older two kids were six months old and a little over two, my husband and I drove across the country. We made an adventure out of time off, a wedding in Colorado, and friends to visit along the way. Thanks to napping kids, a pacifier, and great music, it was a surprisingly enjoyable sightseeing experience. I did an experiment with our two-year-old, to see if I could get him interested in something random by working the positive jolly voice and animated facial expressions. I chose water towers because there are a lot of them between New Hampshire and Colorado, but the choice could have been anything, as long as I was engaging with him about it with enthusiasm. It took about four sightings with me getting my big, jolly voice going to say, “Look, fella, there’s a water tower.” When the fifth one came into view he craned to see and burst out with, “LOOOK MOMMY, DEEEHHHZ A WAUTAH TOWAHHHHHHH!” My husband and I would laugh and respond with delight.
