It's hard growing up. I remember it being hard. Hard to realize life isn't fair. Hard to learn new things. Hard to realize my younger siblings had it waaaay easier than I did ;) JK -- sort of...
As I've been watching Kale grow up, I've realized just how much we have to learn as we go. There are so many things I take for granted that I know. Like using utensils, speaking, reading, politeness etc... You never realize just how much you know until you have to teach it {an understatement I know...a fact I will quickly learn when homeschooling starts...}
We've been trying to teach Kale and Kate social manners. I've known people who are adults and have NO clue how to conduct themselves around others. I'm not claiming that I have it down perfect, but there are definitely rules I live by and want my children to know and understand. Common sense things. Decency things. Just plain manners! I think parents are forgetting these things more and more. And it's sad. So it's my mission to work my darndest to teach my kids how to be well-mannered. We have a looooong way to go :)
For example, Kale, as I have stated many times, is curious. Very curious. He asks questions constantly. Always wanting to know why this, where that, who did what, how did that happen... This is one of those challenges for me. He is fine being curious. That's how we discover things. It's how we ask, who we ask in front of and how loudly that make a huge difference.
On more than one occasion, with both Mark and myself, Kale will ask a question about a person who is probably less than 3 feet from us. He points and talks loudly. He isn't rude necessarily...yet. Just curious. He asked me why that man was so short {he was under 4'} and asked Mark why that woman was in a wheelchair. He's curious about things he doesn't know and we are desperately trying to teach him the appropriate way to ask his questions.
Kate, of course, has similar issues. Hers just manifest themselves differently. For example, taking her into a public bathroom. She wonders why we're sharing a stall, is mommy peeing or pooping, what's that tooting noise the lady next to us is making, she likes my undies etc...
I think Kale's embarrassed Mark in the men's room too. The stories Mark tells after we go swimming at the Rec Center and he and Kale come out of the men's locker room. Oh the questions!
Then there are lessons about food and what we like and don't like and how to handle it if we don't like something. Complaining about the food and pouting is not an acceptable response. How do you show manners and starve at the same time? :) Add on top of that learning why we chew with your mouth closed, why feet aren't allowed on the table, why tooting is outlawed at meals, and why making masterpieces with your food is frowned upon. So much to remember!
Personal space is another lesson. How close is too close to stand next to someone? Do I really have to watch where I'm going when running through a crowd? Surely this man doesn't care that I totally cut him off and made him almost trip. I'm chasing my sister!
Presents! Another difficult lesson. How to deal when one sibling gets a present or a privilege when the other doesn't. Boy oh boy do we deal with that one! When Kate was in the hospital, she got a stuffed animal from the Dr. When we came home and showed it to Kale he wanted to go to the hospital so he could get one. Poor kid had no idea what Kate went through to get it!
Interrupting when others are talking, either right in front of them or when I'm on the phone. We've tried to teach them to hold our hand and wait till we say their name. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.
The Golden Rule. Doing for others what we'd want them to do for us. Close enough :) This one is hilarious sometimes. Kate will go and steal a toy from Kale, knowing full well how mad he's gonna be. When I ask her if she'd want Kale to do that to her she, of course, says no. But does it stop her? Not yet. We're still working...Kale is the same.
Patience. This I'm still working on with myself...
Life's little lessons are hard. We never stop learning them. I just pray daily that I can instill in my kids manners and thoughtfulness. I want them to think of others, not just themselves. And of course, this is a lesson I learn myself....daily.
