'please,give me a choice'

Bathing my children one evening, my son decided to start splashing water all over the floor and me. I asked him to stop and he just carried on splashing (harder) so again I asked him to stop and each time the tone in my voice was sounding more and more irritated. He was perceptive to this and although I know how to set limits, for some unknown reason I did not set them this time. Jared finally said to me "Mom, give me a choice then." I stopped in my tracks and said "Jared, if you choose to carry on splashing, then you choose not to watch tv after your bath, which do you choose?" He immediatly replied with "Finally, now I can stop splashing." I was impressed that my son can now tell me with his words that he is aware that he needs limits and that he also reminds me to set them,COOL!!!!

Addition: After my post I realized that I had missed something... On giving jared choices, he now also lets me know whether the choice is big enough. Remember Dr.Landreth telling of little choices for little people and big choices for big people. Well as Jared grows he tells me if the choice is appropriate. WOW! I just want to tell you that you have made parenting so enjoyable, even the discipline, and I now know the true meaning of dicipline through the heart!