Successes

I decided I need to post successes too, even if they are small. Just a few minutes ago Sariah was driving Dallin and his friends nuts. They were building with "constructions", and she kept taking the basket of parts away. I kept reminding her to bring it back so the other kids could build. She would bring it back, but then two seconds later take it away again. They were getting frustrated. Suddenly, I had the idea pop into my mind that all she wanted was a basket to carry around. I asked her if she would like to carry a different basket of toys so the other children could use that one. She happily gave them their basket. I gave her something different, and she not only liked carrying around the basket, but actually started playing with its contents!

Last night we were making frosting for peanut butter bars. Dallin wanted to stick his fingers in it and lick them off. My normal response would be to say, "No way! That's gross!" But remembering what I've been reading, I instead said, "Well, when we put our fingers in our mouth and then in the frosting bowl, it gets germs in the frosting. Some people think that's gross." To my surprise, he turned around and said, "OK mom, I won't stick my fingers in the bowl." Because all I did was give him the information and let him choose what to do with it, there was no power struggle or control issue. Later, after we had frosted the bars, I gave him a beater and let him lick to his heart's content.