And so it was, another year had passed by that Geppetto spent with Pinocchio being the best father he could be. Living true to his words that he promised Francesca, he carried with the utmost compassion and pride. Pinocchio had turned two years old. Geppetto's baby boy was now a toddler. He had begun potty training finally and Geppetto started to set a new schedule between, meals, playtime, and naps.

But unfortunately, even through all the joy he felt from the boy, there was still lots of trouble. Within a few months after his birthday, Pinocchio began a terrifying string of tantrums and defiant behaviors. The moment Geppetto had been dreading, that many parents go through themselves commonly with their child. Pinocchio had entered the terrible twos. This was even more stressful to Geppetto than when he had to settle in with Pinocchio after he was born.

Pinocchio's nighttime crying returned, louder than ever. He refused to take baths regularly. He was even pickier at his mealtimes. He was never happy when Geppetto had to do something with him, such as change his clothes or interrupt his playtime. Whenever he didn't get his way, he would throw terrible fits stomping and pounding. He would scream and cry his lungs out till his face was red and sometimes out of breath. If things got too out of hand, Geppetto would have no choice but to send him to his room and put him in time out.

One day, Geppetto had to take Pinocchio's cricket doll away trying to teach him about how to separate from things, but Pinocchio did not go without a fight.

"Mine!" He screamed trying to grab it as Geppetto resisted.

"No, Pinocchio. You've played enough with. Play with something else!"

"I no wanna!"

"Pinocchio, go play with your giraffe or something. You can have your cricket back later!"

"I no wab Geewaff! I bwad Cwickee!"

"Pinocchio, you can have it back later after dinner!"

"I wan now!"

"Do you want to be sent to your room?!"

"No! I wan my dolly!"

"You can play with the cricket later! Now come on it's bath time!"

"I no wan take bath! No!"

"Pinocchio, you're going to take a bath if I have to carry you up to that tub!"

Pinocchio screamed and ran off as Geppetto tried to get him to the tub.

"Get back here, you little….! I am not chasing you outside like I did last Thursday!"

Even baths were a challenge for Geppetto to manage with Pinocchio. This having to do with the fact that Pinocchio would not hold still when Geppetto tried to wash him.

Most of the villagers even Geppetto's closest friends expressed their gravest concerns over Pinocchio's behavior. There was a lot of talk and speculation as to Geppetto's difficulty with this situation.

"That little Pinocchio has become quite a troublemaker. How on earth does Geppetto even manage with him?" one of the grocers asked. "Just last week, the candy man was passing by and the kid screamed bloody murder when he couldn't have a piece."

"I'm starting to question Geppetto's parenting skills myself when it comes to that child's behavior!" others would say.

Even Fredrico and Beatrice had their concerns.

"Boy," Fredrico said one evening. "Martina has not been understanding Pinocchio's terrible twos phase very well. How could such a sweet innocent thing like him become something like this."

"I can't say I blame either Pinocchio or Geppetto for how that poor boy is in this phase," Beatrice replied. "He probably just misses his mama that's his way of expressing it."

"Ridiculous. When I was his age I missed my father as well when he wasn't around, but I never acted like such a little monster."

"Fredrico, Pinocchio is not a monster. It's a natural phase he's going through. Martina went through it herself when she was young. Every child is different in some way or another."

"Nonsense. Martina was a good girl. Yes, she had a few tantrums and fits sometimes. But at least we were together to deal with that. The problem is that Geppetto is having to do this alone. I'm worried about them both."

They both knew, as did everybody else, Geppetto was going the best he could. that deep down, he still loved Pinocchio. It was not that people in the town had grown to hate Pinocchio. It was simply a concern for how Geppetto was being able to manage with Pinocchio going through this phase.


Even Geppetto helping making changes in lifestyle in routine for Pinocchio was a bit of a challenge during the terrible twos.

There came a time when Pinocchio was getting too big to sleep in his crib and Geppetto could not pry him away from it. No matter how hard Geppetto struggled, Pinocchio would not let go.

"Pinocchio, listen. I'm sure you love your crib, but you're getting too big for it. You need a big boy bed now. Only babies sleep in cribs."

But Pinocchio only whined and said, "no! Crib! Crib! I'm a baby!"

"No, Pinocchio. You're not a baby anymore. At least, not entirely. You're two years old. I'll make you a nice big boy bed tonight. Okay? I'm not doing this to be mean. It's just how it is."

"Ok. I undasand."

"Good. Now, go play with Figaro for a while. And no sweets until I say so."

Geppetto worked hard all afternoon building Pinocchio's new bed. Pinocchio was asleep with Figaro in the living room when he had finished. It was made in intricate exquisite detail from a great set of pieces of pinewood.

"Pinocchio, wake up. Wake up. I have a surprise for you."

Pinocchio screamed having to be woken up from his little nap, but after Geppetto managed to calm him down with a nice drink of juice, he took him back to his room to present his new bed.

Pinocchio started to cry when he realized his crib was gone.

"What's the matter, son? Don't you like your new bed?"

"No! I want my cwib!"

"Pinocchio, I told you. You're getting too big for it. So it had to go bye-bye."

Pinocchio did not like this. Not one bit.

"Trust me, son. You're gonna love your new bed. It may just take some getting used to. Look, see? There's your teddy bear by the pillow, and your cricket doll is right next to him. See? Now, stop crying. It's gonna be alright."

"But I….I still widdle!" He wept.

Geppetto knew just what to do. He grabbed the teddy bear and held it close to Pinocchio's face singing a cute little song.

Oh, he's a happy bear, and he's not crying, and neither should you, or you'll be in trouble, 'cause daddy doesn't like it when you cry.

Pinocchio still whimpering slightly, managed to stop his tears.

"Now, come on. Climb up on and I'll tuck you in."

Pinocchio tried to climb up on the bed, but he couldn't.

"I know what you need. I'll be right back."

Geppetto went and got him a footstool. He helped Pinocchio into the bed and gave him his bead and his cricket doll.

"Pinocchio, look, son. I know your transitioning from being a baby to a big boy has been a challenge for you these last few months, but it's part of life. You need to learn you can't get your way by screaming and yelling all the time. Martina said she wasn't even sure she wanted to come by and see you after that little fight you had with her after she accidentally broke your toy soldier. You're a good boy, Pinocchio. But I need you to act like it."

"Daddy, why no penu butta in my sandwiches?"

"Because, son, Doctor Collodi said you're allergic to peanuts. So you can't have peanut butter. But you like jelly sandwiches. And I know you didn't want to give up your crib. But you'll get used to your new big boy bed in time. Believe me."

Figaro came in and signaled he wanted to be in the bed too. But Geppetto almost wanted to say no. But Pinocchio suddenly blurted and said, "Daddy, I want Figawo in bed wit me."

"Oh, alright, Pinocchio. Come here, Figaro."

Geppetto lifted Figaro up and placed him in the bed with Pinocchio as Figaro let out a soft meow cuddling close to Pinocchio's chest as Pinocchio held him close.

"Good night, Pinocchio. Sleep tight in your new bed. You'll be okay."


Apparently, Geppetto's troubles with the terrible twos were far from over.

A couple of months later, Geppetto was watching two Pinocchio play with the toy trains he made Pinocchio for his birthday and his blocks in the living room. It was about a quarter past noon, just after they had lunch. Geppetto said, "Pinocchio, one of these days, I bet you'll make a fine toymaker like me."

Pinocchio looked up and said, "uh-uh, I gon drive choo choo train when I growed up."

Geppetto had some thoughts about what Pinocchio had just said. But then again, Pinocchio was only 2 years old. He was certain Pinocchio might change his mind.

"Pinocchio, I really think you'd better off making toys like me. You can make trains all you want if you do. Well, you're only 2. So I can't really expect you to understand yet. One day when you're older."

Geppetto walked off to go tend to the workshop for a bit leaving Pinocchio with Figaro. Even tho the child had already had lunch, his stomach felt a bit rumbly, signifying a hungry feeling.

"Daddy, Me want cookies!" Pinocchio called out to Geppetto. But Geppetto didn't respond. Pinocchio got up and walked over to the nearby dresser. The cookie jar shelf was too far up to reach with his short arms. He climbed onto the dresser and began to reach for the cookie jar, but as he reached for it, his foot suddenly drifted to the side and made contact with a vase and knocked it over. The vase fell off and shattered into pieces. Pinocchio gasped suddenly. Geppetto having heard the ruckus ran into the room.

"Pinocchio! Get down from there right now!"

"Uh oh," uttered Pinocchio as Geppetto lifted him off the dresser and placed him on his feet. Geppetto was very frustrated having to be dealing with the situation.

"Pinocchio, did you do that?"

"Uh. Uh.."

"Did you break the vase?"

Pinocchio stammered in fear. He knew he was in trouble. Being only a toddler, he had no idea what to do though.

"No," he muttered. Figawo did it. He bwake it."

Figaro frowned at being blamed. By a toddler no less. Suddenly, much to Pinocchio's surprise, his nose began to extend at least three inches. Geppetto somehow didn't even seem surprised by this.

"Did he really?" He asked Pinocchio with his arms crossed.

"Yes. Me chase Fegawo. He jump up and bwake vase."

Another 2 inches were added to his already grown out nose.

Geppetto was yet unfazed by this still.

"Pinocchio!" he growled. He knew Figaro couldn't have climbed the dresser. But Pinocchio still tried to place the blame away from himself.

"I..I…twie stop him. He no listen. I cwime up, he jump down, vase fall."

Another 2 to 3 inches grew out to his now stick like nose. Now he was really scared.

"My nose!" He squealed with a whimper. "What wong wit nose? What happen?"

"You're lying to me, Pinocchio!" Geppetto scolded sternly. "You can always tell when a little boy lies."

"But…but.."

"I know you're not telling the truth! That's what lying means!"

"No!" Screamed Pinocchio. "I no lie! I tal twuth!"

Another lie, another 3 inches on his nose. Pinocchio started to cry.

"Don't make me spank you!" Geppetto warned.

Pinocchio felt fear and finally submitted.

"No! No spankie! I tell! I bwoke vase, daddy! It accident. I no mean to! I cwime and break it! I sowwy!"

Pinocchio's nose returned to normal. But it did not help the problem. Geppetto was not happy at all.

"Pinocchio Peterson Woodworth! I am very disappointed in you. It's one thing to break something, but it's another to blame it on someone else. What were you thinking climbing on the dresser like that? You could have been hurt! Your behavior this year has had some real tolls on me. but lying?! I never would have….ugh!"

"But daddy…I no mean to…"

"I know you didn't, and you're only 2 years old, but you need to start learning to use a little common sense sometimes!"

Geppetto grabbed Pinocchio by the arm and took him to a chair. Now you're going to sit right here for a while and think about your behavior just now.

Pinocchio began to weep. He got into such trouble, he couldn't control his emotions.

"You don't have to cry about it," Geppetto said. "Stop it, Pinocchio. Stop crying."

"No! I want cookie!" Pinocchio screamed.

"Cookies?" Geppetto suddenly blurted!

"Is that what you were doing climbing the dresser?! You really think I'm going to give you a cookie after the way you just behaved?"

"But I want it!"

"Little boys who lie to their daddies don't get cookies, Pinocchio! So no."

Pinocchio's face turned red. His fists clenching, his lips trembling. His face shifted to a heavy growl.

"I WANT COOKIE NOW!" he screamed at the top of his lungs as he jumped out of the chair and stomped his feet loudly, throwing himself down on the floor and pounding his fists on the ground crying and shrieking like an animal.

"Pinocchio! Stop that!" Geppetto shouted as he tried to pick Pinocchio up, but Pinocchio slapped his father's hand away and stood up and stomped on Geppetto's foot. Geppetto was furious.

"Alright, that's it!"

He grabbed Pinocchio by the wrist and placed him over his lap and slapped the child's posterior six times with his hand. The screams of fury and rage from Pinocchio were accompanied by shrieks of pain from being spanked.

As the disobedient toddler's screams and cries grew louder, Geppetto carried Pinocchio to his room and placed him down on the bed.

"Now you've earned yourself a real time out, little mister! You are going to sit right here in your room for the rest of the day until you learn to behave! No playing, no games, no trains, no nothing! And if you so much as move an inch, you are going to be in even bigger trouble than you already are! And I mean it! Don't you move a single muscle!"

Geppetto walked out and slammed the door leaving Pinocchio to bury his screaming red face into his pillows.

"What am I going to do with this boy?" Geppetto sighed in frustration. Pinocchio's terrible twos phase was such a pain in the neck. He sat at the table and buried his hands in his face. How could he never have been prepared for something like this? He didn't want to have to hit Pinocchio, but his behavior was out of hand, he had been left no choice. Still, he regretted having to do it. He began to feel like Francesca couldn't be able to trust him if she were still alive.

"All this for a cookie? Why didn't he say something?"

Pinocchio spent the rest of the afternoon in his room crying. Around near supper time, the bedroom door opened. Geppetto walked in with a tray of food.

"Hello, Pinocchio. I brought you a bowl of chicken Parmesan soup. Your favorite," he said calmly. But instead, Pinocchio grabbed his cricket doll and ran away to the corner.

"No!" He cried as Geppetto chased after him. Pinocchio cuddled himself against the wall.

"Pinocchio, it's just me. It's daddy."

"No," Pinocchio muttered in tears cuddling his doll close. "Daddy mean. Daddy hurt me!"

"Pinocchio, listen to me. I didn't mean to be so mean. I was just…"

But Pinocchio's tears only grew. Geppetto felt terrible. His little boy was scared of him. How could he let this happen? It seemed they both went too far with each other.

"No! Weave me Wone!"

"Pinocchio, come here. It's okay. I just wanted to say I'm sorry. I didn't want to do what I did, son. If you stop crying and come, I'll give you a cookie after supper.

Pinocchio stood up slowly walked over to Geppetto with hesitation and fear. Fear that he would be hit. But Geppetto handed him a piece of toasted bread and he ate it.

"It's okay. We can wait for your soup to cool a while. Pinocchio, I just want to talk."

Pinocchio looked up at his father.

"Pinocchio, daddy's sorry he had to spank you. But you were being very naughty today. I didn't want to have to do it, but I didn't know what else to do. I would never ever hurt you, Pinocchio."

"But daddy hit me!"

"I know I did. But I never would do it just to be mean. I was trying to teach you a lesson. This past year, your behavior has been one disaster after another. I guess I didn't realize how much you've started growing so fast, I didn't prepare myself for this part of being a daddy."

"Daddy, am I bad boy?"

"No, Pinocchio. But you did act like one. You see, Pinocchio, you should never ever lie to people. Even if you don't know what to say, just tell the truth always. Lying is bad, son."

"Why?"

"Because it's no good. It only causes trouble and never leads to any good. Pinocchio, there's an old saying I heard as a boy. A lie keeps growing and growing. Until it's as plain as the nose on your face."

Pinocchio started crying again.

I sowwy, daddy. I been bad boy. I bwoke vase and wye.

Geppetto let out a smile and knelt down to his boy.

"I know you didn't mean to break the vase, but that's not what I was mad about. I was very scared to see you on top of the dresser, but what I was really mad about was you lying. Pinocchio, next time you want a cookie, just tell me. Okay?"

"Ok," responded Pinocchio with a weep.

Geppetto opened his arms and motioned Pinocchio over to him.

"Come here, son."

Pinocchio walked over to his father as Geppetto gave him a nice big hug to make the toddler feel better. Pinocchio hugged his father back with a smile too.

Geppetto then placed his hands on Pinocchio's shoulders and looked into his blue eyes.

"Pinocchio, I want you to look at me and promise me you will never lie to me, again. Do you understand?"

"Yes, daddy. Me undastad," said Pinocchio.

"Do you promise me?"

"I pwomise."

"Good," said Geppetto as he patted the boy's shoulder and ruffled his hair. "Go ahead and eat your soup. And if you behave for the evening, I'll give you one cookie before bedtime."

So Pinocchio ate his soup and behaved. As promised, Geppetto brought him a single cookie. Pinocchio took it with him to bed and ate it. Geppetto had had a rough day with Pinocchio, but at least he hadn't let it affect anything else. It didn't matter how badly Pinocchio behaved or what he had to do to punish him. He still loved his boy.

"Good night, Pinocchio. I love you," he said as he rubbed Pinocchio's head for the night despite everything.

"I wuv you, daddy," said Pinocchio with a small tear. And he got up on his knees and hugged him again. Geppetto reciprocated the embrace.

He then said to the boy, "listen, Pinocchio. We need to start following new routines to get your behaviors under control. I don't want people in town thinking I'm a bad daddy and that wouldn't be good for you either, son. I want what's best for you, Pinocchio. For both of us."

Pinocchio kissed his father on the nose before he lied back down and placed his head against the pillows as Geppetto gave him his little blue blankie and placed the bedsheets over the child.

As Geppetto walked off, Pinocchio uttered, "daddy! I sowwy I lie to you and bwoke vase."

"Geppetto turned around and smiled saying, " thank you, Pinocchio. I appreciate your apology. But it's over now. Let's go to bed. I'll see you in the morning. Sweet dreams, my little wooden head."

Pinocchio went to sleep that night knowing he still had much to learn at his age, and that he needed help with his behaviors. Even though he was only two years old, he knew one thing for certain. His father loved him. As Geppetto has said, it would take time for Pinocchio to get used to his new bed, but he warmed up to it fast. It wasn't long before new routines were set up and Pinocchio's misbehaviors were finally under control. It seemed the terrible twos were finally starting to settle. Even Martina, Fredrico and Beatrice were pleased. In the time that had passed, Pinocchio had come to forgive Martina for the broken toy. Pinocchio and Geppetto both agreed about one thing. Despite whatever trouble had been caused or what anyone else would say, Pinocchio was a good boy. But some say nobody knew this better than Geppetto himself.