Dad vs. Mr. Independent

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Watching our 3-year old son grow up by the day is fascinating to watch. It is hard to believe there is so much change even by the day. It blows my mind to look back a few weeks and months to see how much he has changed.

The latest change (for the good) is his full-blown independence. He wants to do everything himself without help.

This is most evident when it comes to getting dressed. He now fully undressing and dresses himself. It is amazing to see his brain works as he figures out where sleeves go, which shoe goes on what foot and how to put on a big winter parka.

For me, the hard part is just letting him do it. Sometimes it takes much longer than I would like and I try to help.

That is where Mr. Independent steps in. He says “no dad I am going to do it all by myself.”

This can even include him walking around the house to avoid any chance of help.

We are now working on the fact that it is okay to ask for help and he is slowly buying into this.

Now he will try his best until he gets frustrated (a new word he is using) and then will ask for help.

Cereal Saves The Day

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Just had a loud and a little frustrating dinner. Luckily, cereal saved the day.

Our 3-year old was having a tired, hungry, not listening, crying tantrum just as dinner was served. The classic, “I don’t want that” and “I want something else.”

After a lot of crying, talking and trying to discuss what the options were.

The thing that did it and seemed to turn the tide (for now) was the offer of cereal for dinner.

Now usually we try to stick to everyone eating the same thing but tonight was a special case. It was like trying to defuse a bomb with garden hose. It was not going to work.

Just to bring you up to speed, dinner was a tasty pasta dish with broccoli and a side salad. Pasta is usually a hit. Anyways, not tonight.

So we offered bread, fruit and a few other things that I can’t even remember.

Please Work On Those Please And Thank You’s, Thank You

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Ah manners, a lot of people have them and a lot of people don’t. So where does it all begin? Well, I would say, as a kid.

The sooner and mom and dad can teach their kids that saying please and thank you is the right thing to do, the sooner it will stick.

Pre school does their best to enforce it but really it has to come from home. If mom and dad don’t do it, why would a kid ever do it.

Our 3-year old is going through the learning of this. He gets what it means and understands that he should do it, but it is not always top of mind. I mean their brain has much more fun stuff going on. How can you remember to say thank you when you just got a new toy or your favourite food. Yes, it is hard.

He’s Got 99 Mood Swings, The Bath Fixed None

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Tonight was my bath night with the 3-year old. Normally a joyour occasion full of soap, laughing and the occasional tub fart.

This night however was not one of those joyous ones.

Already a tired tantrum going on as the water ran, it took every trick in the dad toobox to get him in the bath on this night. Screaming, trying to talk while having no breath, snot, so much snot and I did not even have the soap out. It was a quick bath. Basically enough to justify even running the water.

Not even a warm towel hug helped out. No this was a mega tired tantrum. So what did I resort to in order to change the landscape of bedtime.

The Hand That Calmed The Cradle

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Quiet day today at home after a morning out to check out a Christmas fair. Still feeling full after a giant brunch at the local Smitty’s. Can’t go wrong there.

What I wanted to touch on today was the power of a hand on a fussy baby. Our 3-year old was up in the night and we saw his light on. My wife got up to investigate and that left me with the baby sleeping in his side bed/cradle/bassinet. As soon as she left, there was maybe a second of peace before the baby started fussing and crying.

I lunged over like I jut heard a bomb go off and put my hand into the blind darkness. Once my hand was on the baby, he instantly stopped, breathing calmed and all was well with the world.

Problem was, it was 4am, I was stretched full out and my wife possibly was not coming back for awhile. I had the feeling that I was standing on one of those land minds that once you step on them, you can’t step off.