Wednesday, July 6, 2005

Smarter than me

I have to give her credit, that girl.

When you have kids, there seems are divisions amongst the parents.  There's the 'By the book' group, who do everything au courant child-rearing book says to do in order to raise the uber-kid; there's the 'My Dr says' group, who will only do what their pediatrician tells them; the 'no sugar, no additive, only free-range organic anything will cross my child's lips' group (no m&m's allowed here, not until your kid sneaks them one, and they go off like a rocket) ; and the 'listen to your baby/kid' group, where you kind of go with the flow of what may fall in your lap that day, dropping everything for little Timmy's nap, or mealtime, or whatever.

And then there's the rest of us, the 'sleep deprived, been at this for a while, I know that if I give her back the binky after it falls on the floor she's not gonna die, I'll give you a lollipop if you stop pulling your brother's hair, just get me through the day' group.  We try hard.  We mean well.  Whatever it takes, I always say.  Sometimes it works; sometimes it doesn't; sometimes, Mommy is the one in time-out.

I think everyone kind of surfs all the groups anyway.  Whether you read about it, or talk to other parents about it, eventually you might get a different take on the situation at hand.  

And then there's the times that the kid comes up with the solution all on their own.

Today, for instance.  I'm going on about Audrey's aim and the toilet, when du-uh the answer was right in front of my face.  I was using one of those padded little toilet seats on top of the toilet for her to sit on.  She announced to me earlier this evening that she doesn't need it.  That the little seat "makes me make a mess."  And I helped her hop right up onto the toilet, she did her thing, and I didn't have to dodge or clean anything.  "I'm a big girl," she says, "I don't pee on my Pony panties." 

Oookaaay. 

Guess I now belong in the 'my kid is smarter than me' group...at least for the time being.

I'm just glad that the IQ points I sacrificed while I was pregnant and the ones that have escaped via sleep deprivation are going to good use.

 

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Anna, Anna, Anna.....this is your first GIRL to potty train! She is not necessarily smarter than you are..... actually I think she gets her brains as well as her good looks from her mama....
They (whoever they are, they are the experts!) say that it is different when potty training girls versus boys.
Having said that, you better help me as we progress as training Audrey's cyber boyfriend is a whole new world for me!
PS WTG Miss Audrey for figuring this one out!
Laura

Anonymous said...

That is just too cute!!

~Danielle

(Got twins potty training right now, myself, so I hear ya!)

Anonymous said...

I was so laissez faire that I didn't stop nursing, start potty training, take away their bottles, pacifiers, or thumbs until they begged me. Actual quote,"Mommy, get rid of the bottles."  Children are quite capable of making decisions about what they want and need. They make great adults, too. Mrs. L

Anonymous said...

I enjoyed reading about the different kinds of parents.  I'm definately in the sleep deprived group with you.  My 2 darling girls are 3 and 16 months.  The 3 year old is at the end stage of the potty training.  Her new found joy is to tell us she has to go when we are out on errands.  I think she is proud of herself that she can use a public toilet.  The 16 month old has just started the potty training.  Never would have thought of starting her this early, but she sees her sister and wants to try:)