Sometimes it feels like every single waking moment needs to be a teachable moment. And there's just not enough time to cram it all in. Every time I talk to a friend or read a parenting blog I'm reminded of the 12 things I'm not already doing with B. that I should be. He should know his address and phone number. He should know his alphabet in upper and lower case. We should be setting a good example by eating lots of fruits and vegetables and home-cooked meals (even though he won't touch them). Then there's the preschool teacher who says he needs more playdates so he'll share better. Love her but WTF does he do all day at preschool if it's not playing with other kids?! Plus don't forget to read books, brush teeth, teach them their please and thank yous. Oh and they should start dressing themselves and putting on their own shoes at this age. So add that to the to-do list. Potty training would be great, too. And learning how to use scissors. Play with them but not too much...OMG! You have to be a full-time chef, teacher, psychologist, artist and diplomat just to meet all the milestone expectations.
Not that I imagine European parents have it much easier but, coincidentally, this list of the top ten toddler activities (according to their parents) just came out over there and it seems like a lot more fun:
1. Make a mud pie
2. Bake a cake
3. Finger paint
4. Sing loudly in public
5. Climb a big hill
6. Pick fruit
7. Dance without any inhibitions
8. Make sandcastles on the beach
9. Be chased by a monster
10. Jump in a puddle so hard the water went in mummy's shoe too
He might need to work on # 4 and #6, but he I'll bet he aces the others Bravo :)
ReplyDeleteYOU ARE AN AMAZING MOM. Don't worry. I have absolutely no doubt that B will turn out great, regardless of what you do or don't do. Seriously, he's just awesome and he's going to stay that way!
ReplyDeleteUgh! I make a beautiful, organic, home cooked meal every night and at dinner time my kids refuse to eat, act like animals, and jump up from the table and run around the family room like they are on fire. Then this past weekend my husband brought home fast food from Wendy’s and it was the best family dinner we have had in six months. Both my kids sat there like little angels.
ReplyDeleteBtw, I wouldn't worry about scissors. I was just volunteering with the first and second graders in my son's "gifted" program, and lots of them were holding the scissors upside-down. Only two kids in the first grade class can tie their shoes, and the second graders aren't much better. Most of them can barely use a whole punch. Luckily, all of them are potty trained! :)