Thursday, February 12, 2009

My little imaginative one... Tin Foil City

Ok, so my daughter made some poor choices yesterday and we've been trying to take a different approach lately with discipline... we WERE taking the approach of talking with her about what she did wrong and what would have been a better choice... we had been trying this approach in many different versions, tones and octives... it just wasnt seeming to stick. So, we decided to take a different approach... instead of mommy and daddy getting all upset when she lost her 3rd sweatshirt this month or whatever, we explained to her that there would be "consequences" to making poor choices and not being responsible. So yesturday, she made some poor choices (not a huge deal, but enough to address), so we gave her some extra chores to do for the day (i.e one was to put away the "safanator 3000" - which i still have no idea what that really was... an "invention" of hers that was put together by a clothes basket, some tin foil and a few other things...) So I left her alone upstairs for a while to get some of these chores done... well, I hadnt heard from her in about an hour... which is a bit unusual... usually we hear her yell down "Mom - can you put this in the downstairs closet for me... or Dad, can you come up and help me with the litter box"... etc, etc.. So I decided to go check things out... and brought my camera with me! :) I snuck up really quiet behind her bedroom door and snapped a quick picture of what she was doing... and then asked what that was she was working on. She explains (very matter a factly).. "Im making a mall, with cars, people, balls for the kids to play with... and oh, this is the sunsphere over here" All of these things were made out of the tin foil that she pulled down from the "safenator 3000". I didnt have the heart to ask her right away if she had finished all of her chores yet. I admired her little creative tin foil city for a while, then nicely asked if the chores were finished... there were a few stragglers, but for the most part, she did a pretty good job. Ive been trying really hard not to "sweat the small stuff" lately with her... its a struggle sometimes for me... I really want her to grow up into a kind, responsible, motivated, energetic young lady... its really my bible study and church time that really keep me in check... reminding me to take that step back... so that i dont let her childhood just pass right by me... to be "present" in the moment... enjoy these wonderful little "tin foil city" moments... ya never know, she could grow up to be an architect... and that could be her defining moment. So as I type this little story, its more of a reminder to myself to keep working on this part of myself... that tends to get caught up with the "Mommy Boot Camp" moments sometimes... I'll keep you posted on how thats working for me later... :) Have a great day all!

2 comments:

  1. We need to get her and Noah together,he can't ever find anything and he's creative as well..Maybe with the 2 of them they could keep up with things..

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  2. awe.... too cute.
    Very good telling of stories Di.

    Remember, you can tell her whats right and wrong till you are blue in the face, but the example you and Brent set is going to have the biggest influence on who she becomes. You are both doing an excellent job. xxx

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