This one will be quick. Just finding it amusing thinking about how different it is dealing with a toddler than dealing with older kids or adults. Before I was a mother, I had my nursery duty and babysitting, but I mainly dealt with people who were at least over the age of 5. I’ve taught kids from age 5 on up (drama and piano lessons, then English for 5th, 6th, and 7th graders), but I hadn’t had extended time dealing with very young kids. I was the baby of our family, too, so I didn’t have younger siblings to deal with. I’m so used to being able to reason with my charges that I find myself trying to reason with Alexis when I want her to do something.
“You need to leave your coat on, sweetie.”
“Uh… no.” Alexis proceeds to remove her coat
“Alexis, we need to get going and when you take off your coat it takes longer. Please, we’re in a hurry…” I put her coat back on, then turn to grab the 20 pieces of baggage that we need to take on our 30 minute trip. I turn back around and Alexis is wiggling out of her coat again… etc.
You’d think I’d learn! As it is, I end up doing what I think most parents end up doing. I tell her to do something and either promise a reward for doing it well or promise a punishment for disobedience depending on what it is I’m trying to get her to do. But I’ll probably keep trying to reason with her from time to time, too. After all, it has to start working eventually, right?
I guess the thing that I think is sad is that it seems like some adults don’t respond to reason, either. It’s too easy to just stick to our pride and not admit that what we’re doing or what we’ve said is wrong. I’ll just hope and pray that my kids don’t end up being like that. In the meantime, I’ll keep trying to show my kids that sometimes the best way to figure out what’s right to do is by understanding all the reasons behind doing it.