I try to teach my kids. I try to help them learn that there are natural consequences to their behavior. I let them make mistakes sometimes so that lessons can sink in deep.
Take, for example, the famous "forgotten lunch" scenario. Does a loving parent deliver lunch? Sometimes yes, sometimes no.
Jungle Boy and Drama Girl are both attending a local ballet intensive for the next few weeks. They are supposed to bring their own lunch and the rules are strict that they are not to leave the ballet school during the lunch break.
So today when I discovered that Jungle Boy had made a lunch and left it on the counter, I chose to let him experience a little hunger, so he will remember to not only prepare a lunch but pack it with him when he leaves the house.
When I went to pick him up, I brought the topic up, expecting to hear tales of hunger, frustration, or perhaps how he had begged some food off his sister. It went something like this:
"How was lunch today?" [snicker snicker]
"It was great! The ballet teacher drove me to the bakery and bought me a big Italian sandwich with everything on it!"
The bakery is exactly one block from the ballet school - and she drove him there?
Dear world; please stop spoiling my kid. This parenting job isn't getting any easier. *sigh*
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20 hours ago
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Sorry to laugh at your frustration, but every parent has been there and wanted to pull hair out - their own or someone elses. Been there, done that many, many times.
I'd argue that he learned two really great lessons:
1. Sometimes when you make a mistake, someone you didn't expect will help you out. Maybe someday he'll decide to be that person for someone else.
2. Mom isn't the maid, the chauffeur, or his personal servant.
Maybe he'll forget his lunch again -- maybe he won't. My belief is that the world will provide plenty of opportunities for our kids to learn all kinds of lessons. We just have to sit back and watch (sometimes easier said than done). :-)
Way too funny....
Lol! I feel ya! It boils my blood when my child does something wrong, and whomever gives into him "because he's so cute"! Really? Not only is he not learning a lesson, but vanity is being instilled at the same time. I always respond with "he won't be that cute in prison" (He's 5.) But, seriously - if you cannot listen to the authority of an adult at 5, he won't listen to the authority of the law when he's older.
Oh.my.goodness! One block. That would be a great warm-up or cool down walk after the morning session.
However, it does make me chuckle a little bit that I am not the only one whose attempt to teach life lessons get foiled.
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