THOSE kids
When Dalton was a baby, I worked as a nanny for a doctor and a lawyer who had two tiny kids. I remember when Dalton was just crawling, he would often crawl up to their big heavy iron kitchen chairs in order to pull up to standing. And every.single.time those chairs would topple over, sometimes on top of him. Day in. Day out. One day my boss watched this routine and offered me this nugget of wisdom:
“Just let that chair fall ONE time on him and he’ll learn never to use the chair to stand again.”.
I’ve heard variations on this “kids are so smart, let them learn the hard-but-fast way” theory frequently over the last 13 years of my parenting “career”. We could debate whether this is the safest or kindest way to parent but that’s not why I bring it up.
I bring it because my kids are immune to such lessons.
You know what finally taught Dalton not to pull up on the dangerous top-heavy chair? His ability to walk! Once he could walk, he no longer needed to pull up on anything and the danger subsided. But I can honestly say no amount of “hard knocks” made a dent.
All of this to say that today Addison locked herself behind a closed door twice in the few hours she was up before her nap. Twice I was unable to retrieve her or talk her through the reverse process. Twice she freaked out and twice I had to get the screwdriver and REMOVE the doorknob entirely from the door in order to get her out (note to self: find hardware store that carries skeleton keys). I don’t expect it will be the last time. In fact because *I* am not one of THOSE types, *I* have actually learned enough to come running with screwdriver in hand whenever I hear her in another room! haha.
She is a “get back up on the horse” kind of girl. She doesn’t lament her pain or injuries for very long and even if she’s hurt and still a little teary, she almost never hesitates from another attempt at whatever injury-causing action stands in her way. Right now she is consumed by a passion for jumping off things: the coach, a chest that holds her books, boxes that come in the mail, chairs. And it doesn’t seem to matter if she lands on a toy or lands on her bottom instead of her feet…she just gets back up to jump again. She is a broken bone waiting to happen.
February 22nd, 2008 at 8:04 pm
O.M.G this is SO my kids! This is why the Continuum Concept never worked for me. My kids would crawl to the ledge of a building and jump. They wouldn’t feel the fear and use their instincts LOL.
LOL @ Addy!!!! Mason locked me out of the house one time. Freaked me out. After that I learned to hide a key in the bush LOL
[Reply]
February 22nd, 2008 at 11:50 pm
This is how Lucy is. One might think that some of the tumbles that she has taken from high places would deter her interest in such places. Oh no no no my friend. In fact, the make her more interested in figuring out how to scale such high places without falling off before she reaches her goal position. She is a smart one, that Lucy and in the same category as your kiddos - FEARLESS and RESOURCEFUL. I am slowly but surely learning to flow with it instead of trying to stop it. Here is what I have really learned with Lucy: You CAN’T stop her madness. Just go with it and try and be there to break the fall.
[Reply]
February 23rd, 2008 at 5:33 pm
Yeah, I don’t find that “do it one time” thing works for very many kids (I worked in daycare, so I’ve seen a lot of toddlers, and very few of them learned from getting hurt!). I’m much more of a baby-proof like crazy kind of mom … they might not “learn” as much but I’m a lot more relaxed!!
[Reply]
February 24th, 2008 at 8:22 am
Heck, it doesn’t work for most adults!
[Reply]
February 25th, 2008 at 3:49 am
My kids have hard heads and stubborn minds. My 3 yo Rachel is much like your Addy. She’s daring and fearless. One day I will end up in the ER. I just know it…
[Reply]