Sharing is Caring

One of the most difficult things to teach a toddler is sharing. They think everything in the world is theirs and they ever want to part ways with their "favorite" thing (or the favorite of the moment). In our house we try to talk about how we share with our friends because we want our friends to share with us, we share because we can't play/hold/have everything at once and we share because, indeed, everything is not ours. It's tough for a little kid, but a necessary skill to learn.

Sometimes I think it's harder to share for adults than kids.

Overall, generally, for the most part; I don't care if you use my stuff, take it, use it, return it or not. I'm not attached to it. Where I start to get ornery is when I have to share my time. I don't mean volunteering or giving my time to help a friend. I'm talking about when I have something planned, or I get a bit of precious "me" time and something or someone comes in the way of it. I want to throw a drop-down, drag-out tantrum like the best no-nap toddler. Tell me I can't leave, I can't see my friends, I can't make a cup of coffee, I can't write a blog, well you best be on your way before I count to ten. I've found that even when I set aside time to clean or organize if I have to spend my time doing something else, well, let's just say it's not pretty.

I'm trying to get better, really, I am.

I think since becoming a mom my life is over-structured, over-routined, set in a schedule. Before the little lady came I never carried a planner, never wrote down a thing, lived and did whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. I embraced the idea that kids need a routine to feel secure and comfortable; I whole-heartedly agree! The problem I have is that now I feel need to put everything in a schedule, including our down time and when I schedule in some personal time and it goes awry I get a little cranky.

Ok, a lot cranky.

So, I've decided that as I teach the Tiny Toddle Tornado to share, I'm going to take a page from my own book and re-teach myself to share as well. Take a step back and let life happen a little more, not get so crazy when life gets in the way of me getting a break. Because you what? I get the time I need, one way or another, and I don't need another thing to stress about.

Comments

Confession #1

I don't fold and put away my clothes. Really, you'd think by the time I graduated from college, got married, bought a house and had a kid that I would be able to take care of myself. But no, there are still a number of things that I can't seem to get the hang of. Like laundry. Well, that's not true. I actually don't mind doing laundry. Washing and drying clothes is no big deal. (Let's not point out that a machine takes care all of it...shall we?) Even un-organized me has a day that I do laundry. Monday. Now granted, it is Tuesday and the first load went in about twenty minutes ago, but hey, I did bring it downstairs yesterday! The washing machine does it's job, the dryer theirs. So the laundry is done, it's been brought upstairs and I pile it on the bed in a overly idealistic display of domesticity; where it sits all day until the guy goes to bed and pushes it onto the floor. Now, if it's started out to be a good day, the pile will end up o...

Summer, circa 2002

That summer I always had the wind in my hair. We drove down highways and country roads with the windows down. Swam at the 'secret spot'. Sat on the front porch hoping to catch a breeze. That was a summer of freedom. Of late night drives and heat lightening. Making money and spending it as soon as it hit your wallet. I remember laughing so hard that tears came, living so hard that now it seems impossible that it was seven years ago. That summer I scooped ice cream. Cliched no? Shirts smelled of sour milk, belly sour from too many 'samples'. A crazy boss and a best friend. Cute boys and annoying tourists. Really, it was like a Lifetime movie, without the tragic crippled girl or the child molester. After work I'd walk down the street, see whose car was there. Hop in one and head off into the night. A hot sauna one night, swimming naked in the cool river the next. My friends never far behind. Stopping home long enough to change clothes, pick up a dry to...

Five Things I Find Utterly Amazing

I try and find the good in just about everything, and then immediately go and try to find how that annoys me. However, there are some things in life that I just can't get annoyed about, and here is that list. My list of completely Amazing, Uplifting, Wonderful and Sunshiney Bright with Rainbows things: 1.) New Windshield Wipers: How can anyone complain about new wipers? Ever since the first rainstorm I got caught in I have been a firm believer in new, workable wipers. Those $100 a piece blades you see in the store and think, "Who would be crazy enough to pay for those things?" Yeah, it's me. Nothing like a clean windshield my inter-friends. Makes me happy when the skies are gray (and wet). 2.) Mail: I absolutely love to get mail. Doesn't matter from whom, or what it's about. Could care less if it's snail or electronic. There's nothing that puts a spring in my step like the sound of mail being dropped into the mail box. Equally as exciting ...

The Chocolate and The Cheese

Search This Blog