More

I wonder how many times you hear that word as a parent.  Quite a few I would imagine.

As a toddler, “more” must be one of the first words that a child can say.  It is easy to say and can be quite powerful in a limited vocabulary with parents quite literally hanging on every word. More can pretty much get you what ever you want; more food, more milk, more cuddles, more play.

As children get older of course, they certainly still use that word a lot.

“Can I just have a bit more?” Usually associated with nice food of course such as pudding, chocolate and other such niceties.  I don’t think I have ever witnessed a child asking for more broccoli or more sprouts.  I think I would have remembered such a momentous occasion.

“Can I have more time?” or “I need more time.” This often comes with video games, TV, football, playing out with mates and not so much with household chores or homework.  For the latter two, it would be more likely that more time would be required before doing them and a lot less time actually doing them.

“I need more money.” As they get older, so the bank of mum and dad is the non-stop cash machine which never runs dry.  Or at least that is what the seem to think.

“I need more space/privacy.” This is one that is starting to rear its head in this house at the moment.  The boys like to have more privacy so that they can spend time on screens without us seeing what they are watching.  I know exactly what they are watching and doing and it isn’t anything to worry about luckily but they won’t be getting much privacy from me.

“A few more minutes.” Another one that can be used when glued to a screen but this one can often be heard muttered underneath the duvet in the morning as the teenage years start to take hold.  And then another few and then another.

More’s distant cousins “in a minute” and “later” are of course a variation but pretty much overused in this house too.

When you think about it, where do they get the word from?  Well us, the loving parents of course.  How many times do you think we use the word.  “Just a little bit more” is definitely a phrase I hear myself saying a lot.  “One more” “A few more.” On the subject of “in a minute”, well I may shuffle my feet uncomfortably because I am the absolute worst offender for that phrase.

Maybe we just live in a world of more.  We all want more, whether it is time, sleep, food, technology, me time and there are always things that we need more of such as healthier food, exercise, sleep, me time. It’s no wonder then that our children use the word “more’ so much.