wanting nothing to do with me
I'm discovering that babies learn by testing. These days Henry is constantly testing, pushing the limits with a mischievous grin and working my patience. Last week he slapped me in the face. I told him, "No Henry, we don't hit!" and he giggled and did it again. I couldn't believe my sweet little baby was hitting me and I let it get to me. It really hurt my feelings. Then I realized that he doesn't know any better yet. The repetitive hitting was his way of learning what is acceptable and what is just not cool. Obviously I'm not okay with being a baby punching bag but he hasn't hit me since.
So when he's SCREAMING at me for juice or falling to the floor in the grocery store because he wants to walk and I'm the meany making him sit in the cart, I try to keep in mind that this is just a phase. That he is testing to learn and I am his teacher.
Take a deep breathAllie Henry. Get up off the floor. We say please. We don't yell, okay? It's not nice to throw that.
My mom tells me, "Remember, you are more stubborn than he is" and it helps to remind myself of this during the difficult times. I am more stubborn than he is and it is my job to help him learn patience, kindness, and love. I'm not going to lie, it's hard. Hard to bite my tongue and hard to keep my cool, so in a way I guess Henry is kind of my teacher too. We're teaching each other and (slowly) making progress together.
Also hard? Trying not to laugh when he's doing something bad. Trying to say "Get off the stairs Henry" with a straight face when he's climbed half way up with a stuffed animal AND his snack AND his juice and he's staring down at me with a proud smile is nearly impossible. Important, but impossible. Anyone else?
So when he's SCREAMING at me for juice or falling to the floor in the grocery store because he wants to walk and I'm the meany making him sit in the cart, I try to keep in mind that this is just a phase. That he is testing to learn and I am his teacher.
Take a deep breath
My mom tells me, "Remember, you are more stubborn than he is" and it helps to remind myself of this during the difficult times. I am more stubborn than he is and it is my job to help him learn patience, kindness, and love. I'm not going to lie, it's hard. Hard to bite my tongue and hard to keep my cool, so in a way I guess Henry is kind of my teacher too. We're teaching each other and (slowly) making progress together.
Also hard? Trying not to laugh when he's doing something bad. Trying to say "Get off the stairs Henry" with a straight face when he's climbed half way up with a stuffed animal AND his snack AND his juice and he's staring down at me with a proud smile is nearly impossible. Important, but impossible. Anyone else?
