I love my son. I really do. However, I'm also ready to sell him to the circus but I'm afraid they'll return him far too soon.
He's had the chore of dishes/ cleaning up the kitchen after dinner for almost two years. Last night he barely loaded the dishwasher, didn't start it and piled everything left into a soapy sink. When questioned he said that's what I'd taught him to do. Ugh. Little stinker.
Thing is because he wasn't paying attention at all, he put dishes in the sink that his sister hadn't properly put away and were completely clean. Like my cast iron skillet. Ugh again.
If that wasn't enough, I found three pairs of shoes and neatly folded laundry, under piles of dirty laundry. He didn't put away his fresh laundry but just started using the basket for dirty. Great. Way to make life harder. This explains why he never seems to have clothes even though I'm constantly telling him to do his laundry.
I could go on and on like this. If you have a boy I'm sure you could too. Katie is completely different in this respect. She seems to learn from her mistakes. She seems to have better sense when it comes to hiding clean laundry but she too seems to lack the ability to connect the dots.
How does one teach this?
I have a certain amount of awareness as do many mothers. It's why we have stories about the back of our heads having eyes. What our little ones don't realize is they can't lie worth a darn and are noisy messes.
My husband has great situational awareness and political awareness. His awareness of the trash is growing. He's also super at the lawn. He's always saying he's going to mow it before I notice it needs it. This is fantastic.
I've noticed that overall most people seem to have some awareness in some areas but then completely lack it in others. This puzzles me.
Like the teen girls at the store that from the neck up look like super models and from the neck down could be homeless boys or just homeless. Who are they trying to impress?
I doubt the teen boys are much better. They have made dragging their extra pair of pants an art form. Not only are they wearing gym shorts under their pants they have to walk with one hand holding onto the jeans firmly in order to keep them just so. Perhaps homeless supermodels are their mates.
Either way, I want to teach my children to connect the dots. To be aware of their surroundings. To be able to find their own clean clothes.
When I figure this out, I'll be able to write a best selling book. It will be hailed by parents everywhere.
Until then I'll probably feel cursed. As I can perfectly see all the details they are missing.
It wouldn't be so bad except we have to share a bathroom these days.
Pray for us. Katie turns 13 this summer......
He's had the chore of dishes/ cleaning up the kitchen after dinner for almost two years. Last night he barely loaded the dishwasher, didn't start it and piled everything left into a soapy sink. When questioned he said that's what I'd taught him to do. Ugh. Little stinker.
Thing is because he wasn't paying attention at all, he put dishes in the sink that his sister hadn't properly put away and were completely clean. Like my cast iron skillet. Ugh again.
If that wasn't enough, I found three pairs of shoes and neatly folded laundry, under piles of dirty laundry. He didn't put away his fresh laundry but just started using the basket for dirty. Great. Way to make life harder. This explains why he never seems to have clothes even though I'm constantly telling him to do his laundry.
I could go on and on like this. If you have a boy I'm sure you could too. Katie is completely different in this respect. She seems to learn from her mistakes. She seems to have better sense when it comes to hiding clean laundry but she too seems to lack the ability to connect the dots.
How does one teach this?
I have a certain amount of awareness as do many mothers. It's why we have stories about the back of our heads having eyes. What our little ones don't realize is they can't lie worth a darn and are noisy messes.
My husband has great situational awareness and political awareness. His awareness of the trash is growing. He's also super at the lawn. He's always saying he's going to mow it before I notice it needs it. This is fantastic.
I've noticed that overall most people seem to have some awareness in some areas but then completely lack it in others. This puzzles me.
Like the teen girls at the store that from the neck up look like super models and from the neck down could be homeless boys or just homeless. Who are they trying to impress?
I doubt the teen boys are much better. They have made dragging their extra pair of pants an art form. Not only are they wearing gym shorts under their pants they have to walk with one hand holding onto the jeans firmly in order to keep them just so. Perhaps homeless supermodels are their mates.
Either way, I want to teach my children to connect the dots. To be aware of their surroundings. To be able to find their own clean clothes.
When I figure this out, I'll be able to write a best selling book. It will be hailed by parents everywhere.
Until then I'll probably feel cursed. As I can perfectly see all the details they are missing.
It wouldn't be so bad except we have to share a bathroom these days.
Pray for us. Katie turns 13 this summer......
