What to do when your toddler says 'I love you' before you're ready

The moments you've shared with your young child have been fun, breezy, and low-maintenance. And now, just as his verbal skills kick in, he says, "I love you."

Problem is, you're leery about things getting so serious this early in the relationship. Awkward. So how do you delicately – yet decisively – respond when the feeling isn't quite mutual? Here are some options:

"I feel this is moving faster than I'm comfortable with"

As an adult, you're entitled to set the boundaries of any relationship you enter into. Which is why "I feel this is moving faster than I'm comfortable with" is the perfect quote to have on hand. Honesty can be the best policy, and when it's expressed in a respectful manner, you'll both feel validated. Just be sure not to cave in to bartering or tantrums. Explain you're just looking to keep things casual right now: peek-a-boo, Play-Doh, Nickelodeon and chill – that kind of thing.

"I really love that you're in my life"

This sentence can work wonders when your toddler has backed you into an emotional corner. "It's an invaluable turn of phrase because it gives the impression you're also saying 'I love you' even though you're not," explains McGill University linguistics professor Edgar Weiss. Think of it as the ultimate form of verbal misdirection. "I mean, I really love that pleated khakis are in my life," Weiss says, "but that doesn't mean I'll be devastated if the wife donates them to the Goodwill. Huge difference."

Write down your reply

If your tenacious tot hits you out of the blue with an "I love you," simply smile, grab a pen and notepad, jot down your honest response, and say, "And here's how I feel about you." Chances are he'll drop the issue, being too embarrassed to admit he's a couple years away from learning to read. Advanced tip for parents with gifted toddlers: Scribble something entirely illegible, then express deep concern about his intellect when he struggles to read it.

Add air quotes around the word "love"

To the under-three set, air quotes look like a pair of adorable finger bunnies hopping along their merry way. But for those of us sidestepping an unrequired display of affection, they're a bona fide 'get out of jail free' card. "Young children are ill-equipped to grasp the nuances of irony or euphemism," notes psychologist and relationship expert Dr. Amelia Sanchez, "so when your 'I love you' reply has the word 'love' in air quotes, there's little chance of them realizing the term has been modified." It's an effective approach that's deceptively simple. "Ironically, the 'air quotes' hand gesture is so easy, even a toddler can do it," Sanchez adds, "and they're nature's idiots."

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