My son is Mr. Independence. He wants to do everything all by his 4-year-old self. He doesn’t want any criticism about the way he does things, either. I have this innate need to offer feedback (e.g. nag) about just about everything my kids do. Maybe it’s the teacher in me, possibly it’s just because of my upbringing, but I have to often bite my tongue not to make a comment or suggest a better way to do things all the time. I’m having a hard time drawing the line between nagging and suggesting. My daughter takes this to heart much more than my son. Is that a girl thing, a firstborn thing, or both? I’m just not sure. In any case, my son can find a loophole nearly every time. Here’s the most recent example……
We were heading to the grocery store so my kids needed to put on their shoes. Of course, Mr. Independence didn’t want my help so he went to another room to guarantee my lack of assistance. When he walked back into the kitchen, he announced that he had his shoes on. I noticed that they were on the wrong feet so I asked him if they felt funny. He said, “No, they feel fine.” Not satisfied, I mentioned that he needed to switch them because they were on the wrong feet. Here is his solution to the problem….
….just cross feet! I had to laugh about that creative way to skirt the issue. Clearly he understood where the shoes NEEDED to go, he just wanted to put them on his own way. I didn’t make him switch the shoes. I figured he would change them if they were uncomfortable which they obviously weren’t.
How do you choose which battles to fight? In your family, what’s the difference between nagging and suggesting? I’d love to hear your mommy tips! If you’re not a parent, please share how your parents worked out this type of situation with you.
omg my husband would say i am a huge nag… LOL!!! but i think it’s always suggesting! 😉
xo,
Sandy
Sandy a la Mode
Oh, if you’re talking with your husband, it’s ALWAYS suggesting. Never nagging. That’s my theory, anyway! 😉
Too cute- I struggle with negotiating, and picking our battles every day. Sometimes it is best to save sanity and allow kids to be kids, then snap a pic and laugh a few years later!
Yeah, he’ll like this in a few years. Considering it’s one of only about 10 pictures I have of him in ratio to my daughter’s pictures. Being the firstborn she has a zillion pictures of everything from sleeping to sneezing.
Haha- love this post because I always say my kids nag all day long-LOL!!!
Ha! That’s true, my kids do nag me. But it’s mostly begging me to do stuff for/with them, not just stuff in general like I do.
my middle dude is forever putting his shoes on the wrong feet but what drives me crazy is my oldest pulling his black socks up his knees while wearing shorts lol ummm….you can’t go out of the house looking like that lol
LOL this made me laugh!
I pick and choose my battles. My 4 year old is a little diva and quite honestly if she wants her shoes on the wrong feet…so be it. I’m not getting into that battle. But my boys…8 and 9 yrs old. If they refuse to do their chores..well that is a battle I WILL pursue and nag until it gets done. Especially since most of the time it holds me up from getting meals on the table when they haven’t done their dishes.
Oooh, your 8 and 9 year old boys do dishes? My daughter is 9. I need to get on that program.
I pick and choose my battles on a daily basis. Fortunately, mine is pretty good, but it’s hard not forcing my opinions and suggestions on a six-year old.
I remember six years old. That was a fun year to be a mom!
Oh man, my 4 year old is exactly the same way – so annoying. He seems to know two words well – “NO” and :MYSELF”
It’s so cute when it’s someone else’s kid!! Like when I read your comment, I smiled thinking how cute that was. I do have sympathy, I promise!
That is so darn cute! Things like that I also let go; they’re certainly not harmful so they’re not worth battling over.
I need you to be the voice of reason for me more often. I tend to think everything is a big deal.
Love the cute photo!!! Nagging and suggesting cross such a thin line with each other…makes it difficult sometimes…especially as a Mom!!
Thanks! 🙂 At the end of the day, I just realize that I tried my best to be a good mom. Don’t we all?
Adorable. We try very hard to not make a fuss over the little things. My daughter wearing a specific pair of shoes (she prefers her crocs to “real shoes”) or my son wearing his pants backwards… we don’t mind 🙂
Too cute! Thanks for sharing! 🙂 I too worry about the whole nagging thing. It may be a teacher thing….who knows! Oh well, so far my kids seem okay and no worse for wear…so I suppose I’m doing alright at holding back!
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This is so darn cute! I pick and choose my battles with them. Sometimes it feels like a losing battle!
I just had this conversation with a friend. She has a four and a two year old, and the two year old is Mr. Independence. He has to pick out and put on his own shoes. She was telling me it’s a battle because he puts so much thought and effort into finding just the right ones. Luckily, he does pick a pair if they are together so he matches.