This summer I’ve done more readin’ than writin’ in blog world. And I’ve learned I might be a better parent than I thought….. (assuming you can get past the chocolatey-goodness pictures below.)
A blog I love (but shall remain nameless for now because I’m about to poke fun at their parental seriousness and I don’t know them well enough to really DO that) had a recent post about moving the kiddie dishes to a lower spot so the kidlet could help herself. Thus helping the kidlet learn all sorts of Important Things. Things like Sharing and Helping and Responsibility.
And I thought: Good Idea.
And then I realized…. We already do this.
But we call it: Parenting by the Path of Least Resistance.
Sippy cups, plastic bowls & plasticware are all located in lower drawers (the drawer just above the cookie cutters & rolling pin formerly for cookies but currently for play dough). I didn’t realize I was teaching my children an important life lesson by putting these items down low. I thought I was making my life easier by letting them get their own sippy and snack bowl….. no more “But I wanted the YELLOW cup” and it’s a heck of a lot easier to dole out the m&m’s when the bowl is already lined up on the counter.
This week SB even learned to get the milk out by himself. We haven’t graduated to apple juice since we mix our own from frozen concentrate (both thrifty and easy to water down) and the apple juice container doesn’t seal up…. Yes, my gallon milk jug has an oddly-shaped bottom from being dropped repeatedly during the learning process. And, yes, I have to keep a tea towel around the door handle to give him the proper leverage to get the door open. And, no, he isn’t pouring for himself…. Yet.
Does anyone else do things ‘cause their lazy and later learn there is a bit of genius in their madness?
3 comments:
No offense taken, Homestead! :) We do our best to make fun of ourselves at any opportunity.
We too noticed a reduction in parent-child friction when we instituted the change. Z has very specific tastes which vary wildly from day to day and it is nice for her to get to make those choices for herself instead of just bossing us around!
But I don't think it's a coincidence. Kids like freedom and autonomy as much as adults do. If you've ever been seriously injured and had to be "helped" all the time, you'll know - it can be very annoying to have to have someone else do for you what you believe you should be able to do yourself! We try to err on the side of freedom, even if it means learning from (small) mistakes, within broad safety guidelines. Our kiddie dish drawer, for example, includes some new ceramic cups - breakable, yes, but cheap, too, and after breaking one, she probably won't break another - we waited to get a new one for a couple of weeks and it made quite an impression on her that she suddenly only had one "big girl" cup rather than two colors to choose from! Based on your fridge experiences, I'm guessing you think the same way...
Ah! BUSTED!!
I totally agree with you and think the same way and it makes me laugh to see the parallels... we also have the el-cheapo ceramic cups.... ours are wildly colorful espresso cups.... SB loves to drink out of them and loves that they mimic our morning coffee cups.... the un-thought-of benefit is he now actually KNOWS how to drink out of a regular cup... a plus if we are out and about without a sippy.
We try to do the same thing with morning clothing choices.... I figure if you don't want them to wear a striped shirt with plaid shorts then you shouldn't have plaid shorts in the drawer... which is working with the boy at 3 but I can see my doom and downfall with the girl... so many more clashing color and pattern options.
Amen, Sister . . . You've given me a blog topic.
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