A sign hung in a prominent spot in my home during the full-nest years. It looked like this:

It was that sign, in fact, which now hangs in a far less prominent place in my empty nest, as the kids have flown — and my husband knows better.

I abhor whining — from children and adults — and I wanted to ensure everyone who entered my home knew whining was absolutely unapologetically verboten. "I can't hear you when you whine," was my stock reply when whiners of any age whined my way. Or if whiffs of a whine came from one's mouth, I simply pointed to the sign.

I also cannot stand stand baby talk from kids (and, again, adults) far removed from the baby stage. Screechy or cutesy, baby talk from a five-year-old is far less appealing than baby talk from a five-month-old... such as the cutesy, screechy sound from Jak — who hits the five-month mark next week — who baby talks with Mommy in the following video Megan recently texted to PawDad and me.

Baby talk as it should be — music to my ears.

Heaven forbid the kid keeps this up long after the age it's acceptably sweet, though. I can promise you now that this grandma won't be anywhere near as enamored by this sort of chatter five years from now.

Babbling Jak best consider himself warned.

Perhaps I need a THOU SHALT NOT BABY TALK sign to go with my THOU SHALT NOT WHINE sign... just so the grandkiddos know, as their mama did, that Gramma means business.

Today's question:

Whining or baby talk — which most offends your ear and your sanity?