TRUSTING  YOUR  TODDLER

Two weeks ago my two older kids started a new camp. It’s at their new Montessori pre-school and I am beyond pumped for them to begin school here.

A few days into camp, my daughter (2.5), started saying she didn’t like her teachers. My first thought was legit terror.

I have wicked anxiety and I usually always jump to the worst possible scenario in my head before I even have a chance to think anything through. That said, I took a breath and asked her why.

She said  “My teacher painted my rock.”

I almost laughed. I pressed for a little more information because I couldn’t believe that this was what was making her so upset. She insisted that “my teacher helped me” and kept referring this rock.

I almost brushed it off but then I thought about it and realized that she was legit upset because she wanted to work on this rock herself.

I asked her if she was upset because she wanted to do it herself and she looked down, as if embarrassed, and said “yes.” I reassured her that it was OK for her to want to do things herself and that all she needed to say was “I don’t need help, but thank you!”–she laughed at my enthusiasm but I could tell she needed to hear that. She repeated it to herself with a smile on her face.

I talked to her briefly about always speaking up if something didn’t feel right and reminded her it was OK to tell a teacher she wanted to try to do something herself.

The next morning in the car ride we discussed her feelings about camp again. She wasn’t excited to go and said she didn’t “like camp.” I had a moment of clarity. I will say that I don’t always feel like a mom

I often tell new moms that I didn’t feel like a parent until my first kid was a toddler and I started dealing more with discipline. But it’s true–the day to day doesn’t feel like big “parenting” moments.

Then you’re hit with something like this. Something small to you, but big to them. And these are the moments that make us parents.

Our small decisions that ultimately help teach our kids something greater.

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