Teaching a 2 year old how to skin a cat

No felines were harmed in the writing of this post

My two year old is attempting to find her own way, she loves to express her independence and share her vast wisdom with her parents.  This usually comes in the form of “NO” to whatever question is asked of her.  A couple months ago I began to occasionally ask her questions instead of dictate what she was to do.  One might think that a two year old lacks the capability to utilize critical thought and examine the various components of her decision, and I completely agree with such an assessment.

What if we give her two choices to perform a desired task (“there is more than one way to skin a cat”). For example do you want to wear the pink or brown shoes? Do you want milk or juice? Should we put away the blocks or stuffed animals first?

I believe this gives her an opportunity to express her independence within a very limited boundary set by her parents.  I am not an expert in parenting and I am unsure if this concept will work with all two year old children.  Although the cost of attempting, and it not working is very miniscule.  So, go give it a try and please let us know what your results are.