It finally hit me last night why I’m finding watching these kids getting harder and harder and why I’m getting more and more frustrated. These kids seem to be so developmentally far behind my kids that I get frustrated with them. I’m not saying that to make my kids sound like they are so “ahead,” I just think there might be a different type of parenting style going on with the parents of these kids versus the style we are using with my kids.
Take last night at dinner for example. I gave the kids applesauce after they were done with their fish and I look over and the 3 ½ year-old is trying to eat it with his fingers. I tell him to use his spoon and he picks it up and proceeds to dump a whole bunch of apple sauce in his lap as he’s trying to use it. Then I look over 2 minutes later and he’s back to using his fingers. What??? He’s 3 ½!!!! My 2 year-old is using his spoon and eating his applesauce better! Seriously though, my son didn’t spill hardly at all – not near as much as the 3 ½ year-old did.
Then the 16 month-old saw that everyone was getting applesauce but him (I was holding the screaming newborn at this point and new that I would have to feed him applesauce if he was going to have it, so I was waiting for the newborn to calm down). He did still have food on his plate that he had been happily eating until this point. But what does he do? He starts crying. Now, I don’t know about all of your kids, but when my kids were that age and couldn’t talk, they would point to what they wanted and go “eeehhhhh,” which of course was annoying, but at least they were telling me what they wanted. This kid cried when he wanted applesauce (yep, stopped as soon as I started feeding it to him), he cries when you pick him up, he cries when you change his diaper. It’s almost like he has no personality.
When it comes to brushing teeth my son is a pro…all we need to get him to do is learn to spit and he’ll be set. I’ve been brushing his teeth since he was around 9 months-old, so he has it down. The 16 month-old? Every time we try to put a toothbrush in his mouth he just bites it. After a couple minutes of this I get so frustrated I give up. No matter how much hubby and I try to coax him and teach him, he keeps biting it!
The talking thing is really hard for me to get used to. I used to think that our daughter was just really smart because she talked so early…everyone told us to watch out because boys talk so much later. Well, now I’m starting to think that hubby and I are doing something right because our son talks way above the “norm” for his age as well. The kids we’re watching? Not so much. My son talks at the same level, if not better, than the 3 ½ year-old. It’s hard, because the 3 ½ year-old will come in and I’ll have to have him repeat a lot of stuff because I just can’t understand him. And then of course you have the crying 16 month-old…again, our kids were talking by that age. So if my son wanted more of something he would have said “more” when he was that age.
I really thought this week would be fairly easy because of how close in age everyone is. However, I had no idea that even though they are the same physical ages, their abilities are so very different.
If nothing else, this week has made me so proud of my daughter, my son, and of hubby and myself. My kids are fantastic! My 4 year-old daughter took a shower entirely by herself last night…I didn’t do any more than open the conditioner bottle for her! My son constantly talks my ear off, which I really enjoy! I really think that hubby and I are good at this parenting thing…our kids are happy, we’re happy, and life is good!
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7 comments:
Hang in there. You're almost done.
As for the differences between your children and your sitter's, hopefully the two bigger ones will go home having learned a thing or two.
You are a saint to be caring for 3 extra kids! I feel like I can barely handle one sometimes.
I am attempting to get Ashley to take showers...she took one with me last night after the pool.
And Audrey was using a spoon at one and uses it great. It's hard when you have different parenting styles. I have learned that with some of my friends (like the one who lets their kid pee on my van).
Everyone parents different. Sorry it's becoming more and more difficult for you :( Hang in there, it's almost over and you guys have done AWESOME!!
You have every right to be proud!!! Reading your blog well I realized one thing, you and your hubby are "family" all the way.
The sitters children are well, the children, then's there's the parents. See the point I am trying to make? You take the time to include your children, to talk with them, teach them and play with them. That's what the difference between great parents and parents is. Also what "family" is and just having a family is.
You two keep up the great work, and BE PROUD!!!
You're doing great! You are almost through. It's odd sometimes to realized the difference in how children are raised. It sounds like you and your hubby are doing a great job. It takes a lot of hard work to get your kids to do the things that they do. Maybe it's the fact that the three you are sitting are so close in age, that their mother hasn't had the time to spend with them individually to teach them these things?!?! I dunno.
Hayden was using a spoon at 1 too... and I wish she would take a shower. For some reason, she's scared of it. She does bathe herself by herself though. So, that's a step in the right direction! :)
This is exactly how I feel about the two boys I watch! I have a really hard time remembering that they are considered "normal" in their development while my kids are ahead. I totally understand how you are feeling!
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