Bedtime with Bug

You've all heard me talk about the book How To Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk. Great book full of practical advice. I'm still a little taken back when it works with Bug (2y), because the conventional wisdom I'm working to unlearn says young kids don't understand us as well as they actually do. Last night bedtime was rough. I asked Bug if he needed to potty and he said no. Not listening (shame on me), I picked him up and told him to try anyway. He rightly became very upset with me, crying and yelling and all that for a few minutes. After several failed attempts to calm him down I finally got my head straight and said, "Are you upset with me because I picked you up when you didn't want to go to the potty?" He instantly stopped crying and looked me right in the eye. "You're right to be angry with me. I should not have done that. I should have had your permission. I'm sorry. He took a deep breath, clearly relieved. "Can you forgive me?" He shook his head 'no'. "Okay." Then he hopped down from my lap and happily crawled into bed.