It seems like overnight we went from:
“Mommy, can you help me?”
to
“No, I can do it myself!”
Which is perfectly normal. In fact in my opinion, it is a little overdue. Like most kids {especially boys, so I’ve been told} that have younger siblings – he has “held on” to that toddler mindset longer then most. I’ve been waiting for this stage for a while. Trying to prepare my mindset for what’s to come along with the new attitude. Gearing up & storing patience. Because this independent “myself- thing“, really will help me in the long run.
Allowing him to create, do, build, pretend, get loud, act out – it’s all part of growing up. I am a “older” mom of young children. One would think I would have enough patience built up & in reserve for my age. But I don’t. He is not the only one learning patience, in fact, I need to learn even more then he does.
He, like all of us enjoys liberties & new found freedoms. His learning – I have now discovered goes hand & hand with new freedoms. Being able to make mistakes is what he has in advantage over me.
He jumps for joy over the simplest things. New things. Our Winter has not been the easiest on this 4 year old. He has had to stay indoors more then I care to admit. He has asthma & has twins for younger siblings. Very often he comes last in his wishes to do something. Chief & myself have apologized to him many times for not being able to do something whether it’s because of his asthma or his brother & sister.
He has been learning patience all along.
I, on the other hand, have to change my learning & gear towards this new big.bad.4.year.old.stage.
I do think apologizing to him has helped both me & him.
He wants to be heard, like everyone else. He has a story to tell.
He is a person, not a piece of property. He is a little being.
Allowing him to be him is all part of learning.
And, that assertive attitude has to go along with the development process, or at least I am telling myself that.
He is one awesome big bro!
Really, he is. Not every kid has 2 babies come home at the same time & now those 2 babies want everything he has in his hands. It is a great chemistry what these 3 have. He has learned to have patience with them. I know it wont always be. But for now, while I am learning patience in dealing with these 3 – the chemistry is a great bonus. This “myself-thing” is the natural next step if I allow it & learn along with it. Or at least, I pray & hope that I will learn along with it.
And here I thought I had learned a whole lot throughout my 40 year old life. HA! This “learning thing” will never end nor will my quest for more patience!
Hello! I’m so glad you’re here & reading my posts! I’ve started truncating my posts, so please click over to read the rest of the story!
THANK YOU!
THANK YOU!