I recently read a totally awesome book, The Parenting Breakthrough by Merrilee Browne Boyack. I was introduced to it by my sister-in-law in Montana. Another sister-in-law has talked about it in her blog, too, and she has really implemented it! Well, the main point is that we are raising independent adults. This means that we need to teach and train them on how to do "adult" things little by little. Well, I've talked to my kids about the end goal of being independent, and we are just starting to implement The Plan at our house. It has made a difference in their attitudes about doing things for themselves, by themselves. Mine, too!
This morning I got to sleep in a little. (Buster didn't sleep through the night, but I decided to treat his 5:30 feeding as a middle-of-the-night feeding.) When I did wake up and leave my room, Kandy had set the table and was making toast for everyone. "I'm tired of having cold cereal for breakfast," she said, "and I wanted something different. Then I thought, 'I'm going to be independent and surprise mom and make breakfast for her!' " So she did. She even kept making breakfast for her sisters when Buster woke up and I had to feed him. "I'm Mrs. Busy!" she commented. Missy also started to help.
Is the kitchen a little messier than usual? Sure. Did you know you can go through 1/4 cup of butter in one breakfast for 4 people? Yes, if a 5-year-old puts half of it on her toast sandwich with honey and jam. Personally, though, I think it's great. The mess will clean up, and we can buy more butter. Next on the list? Learning to make their beds every morning!
1 comment:
I think it's so great that you're raising your kids to be independent. Too many kids grow up not knowing how to do anything for themselves because their parents did it all for them. I read a good article on this topic recently entitled “Quit Coddling Your Kids.” Good stuff. Good luck!
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