Minor, like many near-two-year-olds and the Old Testament God, smites people when angered. We have been working with him (Minor, not the Lord) on more appropriate expressions of anger, like using his words. Lately he has figured out another alternative on his own for showing displeasure: he spits. It’s not an offensive maneuver (in the military sense), but rather, a commentary.

For example, we are in the car and Minor spots the ubiquitous Dunkin’ Donuts logo.

Minor: Donuts!

Me: We are not stopping for donuts today.

Minor: [spitting noise] Thpit!

I especially love the explicit performative “Spit!” calling my attention to what he is doing, as if to say, “I spit on your refusal!”

We should probably coach him out of the spitting, but as a two-year-old he has so few socially acceptable options for showing anger that I’m reluctant to extinguish a non-violent one. I suppose we should count ourselves lucky that we just have to endure a little saliva. The Almighty made it rain for forty days and forty nights when He got mad.