by Priya Malhotra The first time many of us learn the word “no,” it’s not in the context of refusal—it’s in discipline. A toddler reaches for the stovetop: “No. ” She throws a block: “No.
” She throws a block: “No. ” In these earliest exchanges, no is a limit set by someone else, a redirection of will. It’s a stop sign held by authority.
It’s a stop sign held by authority. Children learn it as a small jolt, a micro-disruption in their experiment with the world. And yet, the day comes when that same word becomes ours to wield.