As inappropriate as this story may seem, I feel the need to share it. For just a one moment, I want all of you to experience what it is like to live with Matthew. He is such a bright, and strong-willed little boy. While I know this combination will serve him well in life, it certainly makes parenting him a challenge.
Lately, we have had many conversations with him about choices. Life is all about choices, and when you make bad ones (as all little boys do), there are consequences.
We are trying to get him to understand (in 4-year old terms) that he is his own person, and that he doesn't have to make the same (read BAD) choices that his friends at daycare tend to make.
With kids, you never really know what sinks in and what doesn't. I am going to gather from the exchange below that at least some of what we say actually makes its way into his thick skull.
Here is three minutes of our ride home tonight:
Matthew: "Mommy, what do I smell?"
Me: "I don't know, I don't smell anything."
Matthew: "It smells like someone tooted."
Me: "Well ... did you toot?"
Matthew: "No!"
Me: "Maybe Amy did, but I don't smell anything."
Matthew (with growing frustration): "WELL ... I do smell it! And if I smell it, then it is there!"
Me: "Ok, I am just telling you that I don't smell anything."
Matthew: "Well, that is because my smell is gooder than yours!"
Me: "I think the word you are looking for is better. My sense of smell is better than yours."
Matthew: "NO! The word is GOODER!"
Me: "No, the word is better"
Matthew: "NO! If I want to say gooder I can. It is my choice. If I want to make that choice I can. If you want your choice to be better - that is fine - but my choice is to say gooder."
Me: "You're right. It is your choice to say gooder. It is my choice to say better."
Enough said. I liked that he thought through his argument and was so passionate about it. In a different state of mind, I may have driven off the road, but for tonight - it was good banter. Goodnight my little Matthew. I love you.
No comments:
Post a Comment