I need to stop measuring my daily "success" as a parent based on my childrens opinions. It is a steep and very slippery slope. For example...
We've recently joined the YMCA because it's time to start getting involved in camps, preschool sports and swimming lessons. I'm sure I'll also take advantage of the free babysitting so I can work out too. I was super-excited to take Ayla swimming the other day. I bought goggles so we could play underwater and we trekked out to the warm water pool. We play and giggle and splash for about an hour, until it's finally time to go home. Huge temper tantrum. Then, later, I'm reminding her what a good time we had swimming together.
Ms. Debbie Downer replied, "But I didn't have fun when we were leaving!"
Yeah, I remember.
And in celebration of Jackson's 2nd birthday, I bought him a used tricycle on Craigslist. It is faded from the sun and missing some of the stickers, but these shortcomings are balanced out with all of the cool buttons that make revving sounds and play music. There have already been violent fights between Ayla and Jackson over HIS bike. I was trying to talk up Ayla's birthday and that we could get her a "big girl" bike with training wheels.
She says, "I don't want a big girl bike, I want a little boy bike."
Of course.
I know that deep down they enjoy the little things we try to do for them. ALL of this is to be expected, yet it always catches me by surprise. It's just like the constant effort to keep the house clean and the foolishness of making them dinner from scratch when all they desire is Ramen noodles. If I use their reactions as a litmus test, I really won't ever win.
No comments:
Post a Comment