I was leaving the downtown Target the other day via the underground garage, and passed by a pitiful sight. There was a grandmother with a full cart, admonishing her grandson, "Now, if you finish the drink I won't have anything to take my pills with, and that will make me upset." This child was maybe 4 years old, and was drinking the drink as he was watching his grandmother talk to him.
Note I didn't say listening to her, because he clearly wasn't. He was still drinking. Let's set aside the fact that this small child was drinking soda-- the diet of our nation's youth is an entirely different subject for another post. He was clearly disobeying her, and she was tolerating it. If she allowed him to continue, I have no doubt he would finish the drink-- and what reason did he have to think she was serious? She was ensuring that he would not listen, and ensuring she would get mad.
Trying to reason with a child of that age is simply ridiculous. They don't have abstract reasoning skills yet. Why set them up for failure? Either give him his own drink, or when he is getting close to not leaving you enough, take it back. He may cry, but you tell him you need the rest, and he has had enough. Why???? Because you said so.
MMD
2 comments:
You are fabulous!!! I only wish more of my lowest quartile high school remedial reading students had been raised by parents with your philosophy...perhaps then I wouldn't see & hear the unbelievable things that I encouter daily at school.
White-Chocolate
My Mom was a 5th and 6th grade teacher, and I know from listening to her that you guys see it all. I can't imagine the stuff that you see in the schools.
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