It’s fabulous when toddlers start doing some things for themselves. I’ve probably buckled up a car seat six thousand times, put on eight thousand pairs of pants, washed ten thousand pairs of little hands… you get the idea. So anytime one of these mundane tasks are taken over by one of my little munchkins, I’m all for it.
Recently I bought CamCam and “Mr. Trouble” some sandals. Now, I’m not sure why, but my boys get VERY attached to their shoes. They both have always thrown fits whenever I try to buy them new shoes. “NO!” they’ll say, “Not those shoes, THESE (pointing down at their feet) are my shoes!” I’ve even had to go so far as to buy them the same sneakers they currently own in the next size up and make the switch while they’re sleeping.
So needless to say, these sandals were met with some resistance. “Mr. Trouble” finally caved when he realized these sandals were his ticket to the beach. And CamCam relented when he realized he could put these shoes on by himself. The ONLY thing keeping him from running out the door to play was the fact that he needed to ask mom to put shoes on him, and now that he didn’t need mom for that anymore, well, he was free to play outside whenever he wanted!
Plus, being able to put your own shoes on makes you an instant member of “The Big Boy” club. He was very excited and very proud.
Until today.
Today I was running late. I needed to pick up their big brother from school at 3:30 sharp. Yes, the teacher actually used the word “sharp". And, naturally, as I’m packing up the boys to go, “The Baby” had a last-minute poopy diaper that needed changing. So I was running late. I asked CamCam to put his own shoes on. It would have been a HUGE help to me, saved me a few seconds. So, naturally, he didn’t do it. I asked him to “Please, please, please put your own shoes on. Mommy’s in a hurry and I need you to put them on. I’m going out to buckle up the baby and you can put them on for me while I’m doing that.”
But, of course, I rushed back inside to find him sitting in the entry. Shoeless.
“CamCam, why didn’t you do your sandals? Aren’t you a big boy?”
“Nope!”
“You’re not? Are you a little boy?”
“Nope!”
“Are you a baby?”
“Nope!”
“Well, what are you then?”
“I’m a CamCam.”
Yeah, I think that about sums it up. He’s one of a kind, my CamCam.
LOL, they have the best answers to everything don't they.
ReplyDeleteStopping by from SITS and wishing you a great weekend :)
ReplyDeleteFound you on the blogflow! Signed up as a follower. Great blog!
ReplyDelete~Carol
http://www.intentionalconsciousparenting.blogspot.com and http://www.creatorscreatures.blogspot.com
My daughter is thiiiiis close to being able to shoe herself, and she definitely knows that shoes are her ticket to outside. It's always so sad when she gets her shoes on and then thinks that means I will automatically open the door for her.
ReplyDelete