Thursday Thoughts

I know it's Friday, but I meant to post this yesterday.  Our computer acted up all day yesterday and Chet didn't get it fixed until late last night, but by then I was too tired to write anything. 

Anyway, I constantly have these thoughts running through my head that I would like to get down on "paper", and many of them are blog-worthy (in my opinion, ha!).  So each Thursday I will share some random thoughts...as if I'm not allowed to share random thoughts on this blog whenever I want...

This week's Thursday Thought(s) will be on parenting.  Specifically on repetition with toddlers.  Does anyone else get annoyed at having to say the same thing over and over (and over) again to young'uns?  (I do, but I'm working really hard on not getting annoyed.)  For example, we're at a stage where Sydney has started playing with her food.  I have to tell her, at least 20 times per meal, "Sydney, that's called playing with your food.  And we don't play with our food.  That's not nice.  We can play after we eat."  (It's not usually that long-winded, but I say a variation of that every six seconds during meals.) 

Why can't she just "get" it after I say it only three or four times?!?!?!  Is that too much to ask?!?!?! 

Yes, it is.

I think we, or at least I, expect too much from toddlers.  I expect Sydney to "get" things too quickly, and get flustered when I have to keep repeating myself, because I know she understands me (I usually I feel like she's pretending not to understand me just to rile me up).  I so quickly forget that toddlerhood is about testing boundaries, and that it is up to me (and Chet) to stick to the boundaries that we establish.  And it might take 100 tests before she is satisfied that, yes indeed, that is a boundary that is firm and that Mommy and Daddy will uphold. 

As I'm sure you all know, consistency is the key, but man it's hard to constantly be consistent (ha!).

I have more to say on this subject, but must get my thoughts in order before posting them...I'm experiencing a bit of writer's block...happy Friday!