Self Sufficient

The boys are becoming so much more adept at doing things for themselves. In some ways it's really, really good but in others it can be so frustrating.

They now like to pour their own "milk" (which is either rice, hemp, almond or coconut). They like a mix of plain with flavored so will take both from the fridge and get a cup from the dish drain and sit down to pour. The messes aren't as much as you expect, but I am having to wash the floor almost daily. But sometimes they don't want the milk, they just want to practice pouring. When this is the case, the entire cup of liquid will get dumped somewhere (intentionally). Sometimes they will help to (try to) clean it up, sometimes they wont.

Corwyn starts every morning by going to the fridge to get his milk. No matter how much I want to sleep, or what time it is (5am seems to happen a lot) I have to spring out of bed to catch the spills and accidental overflows before they run across the entire floor.

They like to get their own snacks. Again, this can be a good thing, except when it's 10 minutes until dinner. One evening when I was relieving myself in the other room, they decided to make their own PB and bread. While I let them use a butter knife when I'm around, they are normally kept out of reach. So they made do on their own. Nathan used a fork and Corwyn a spoon and they made their own snack (and yes, this was one of those times when dinner was imminent and not eaten as a result).

This morning Nathan really got me. I was amazed enough that my annoyance all but went away. Yes, he defied a direct request, and yes, I had to do a bit of extra work but still, wow.

They have a small table and chairs in the bedroom that I got them and another set in the living/dining room that someone else gave us. For reasons unknown to me, Nathan wanted the table from the bedroom in the living room. We don't have room for two tables there so I said no. Then I also let him know that the table would not fit through the hallway (because of the laundry baskets being at his height and making it narrow - so ha, I win). But he had to try. Rather than give up, he turned the table upside down and took the legs off. Then he carried the table top followed by the legs into the living room. Tada. I just told him wow, what great thinking and moved the other table and chairs into the bedroom. Seriously, he figured it out on his own. I'm so in trouble as he grows up if he's thinking like this before he's even 3.

I also was able to employ some letting go (something I'm practicing). There was no real reason why the specific tables were in the rooms they were in. Well, some small reasons, but nothing to stop the switch. I could have fought him (and won) by force, but really, it wasn't worth it. There are and will be bigger battles.

I want them to be able to think for themselves and challenge things, but at the same time I need them to believe me sometimes when I say something without finding out for themselves. He challenged me wanting the tables a certain way. Sure, okay. But how do I balance that with him not believing me when I tell him that he will hurt himself when pours an entire kettle of boiling water over himself (in that case if asking gets no results, I use force and then 'try' to redirect his attention, so far no burns).  I guess we're all just a work in progress.