Wednesday, December 07, 2011

Reminding my kid and family to say "May I" is hard


Learning manners and social skills is a fun parent responsibility. Not only do you feel like a nag and your own parent but your kids get to give you that "You are just a rule nazi" look that makes you feel even more like your own parent.
We started talking about the golden rule and how we need to treat others like we want to be treated. Part of this is to thank guests for coming over for a play date and also thanking hosts when we finish a play date. Problem is, I'm not sure she realizes the play date is really over. I don't think it's exclusive to my child either. I think kids this age are always on an adventure and so instead of thinking of things at an end, they think they are moving on to new and brighter things. I love this optimism and I want it to stay. It's a wonderful outlook on life.
Now I know there will be times when it's the 'end of the world' that we need to stop playing with Sally or Jimmy. I know there will be the meltdowns. Still I'm appreciating that my child transitions well and appears to be optimistic. I hope she continues to live with this as part of her personal philosophy.