I remember taking my little guy to see Toy Story III. That was a great afternoon with my hot date at the movies. He didn't pay, hogged the popcorn, barely let me have any coke and had to be shhhh’ed for not using his inside voice but his "I love you" and sweet kiss when the movie was over made it all worth while.
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| Mitchell and Mommy playing |
It has been a joy to be Mitchell’s parent. The only thing missing is a loving husband to share him with. But God will provide what we need. When my hot date was a baby I did mostly everything now that he is getting older I shoulder even more responsibility. But how do I make the decisions and when do I know when he is ready for something new…like sitting in a movie theatre? I made a conscience decision before he was born that I would parent him a certain way. It is never too late to adjust your thinking by the way. And I have had to do that on some issues. But it is important to me to be the teacher and leader in our home since there is not a man around to do it with me or for me. But what about the simple stuff.
How do you know when your children have entered a new stage and they are ready for something new?
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| Mitchell and Mommy when he was 3 months |
1. Observation is key, you have to be watching and waiting to see what clues your child gives you
2. Most children will let you know by their behavior when they have reached another stage
3. Try out something that you did not think they could do before and see what happens. Like having young children sit through a movie or trusting them in a tough situation.
4. I make decisions based on the future for him and not what’s convenient for now
i. e. we watch only G movies because that is where I want his mind to stay. No harsh language or situations he cannot understand.
5. Look at your friend’s children or children your child’s age and see what is going on. I can see that most of my friends’ preteens are getting cell phones at 13. I will re evaluate that when the time comes.
6. Ask your Pediatrician questions.
7. Ask your friends questions, I never knew a mom that did not have a bit of advice to give.
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| Mitchell after his first music class |
8. Make a commitment to be the one to teach and guide your child(ren). Don’t leave it to others.
These are not absolutes but guides. We need to prepare our children for the future. And one way to do that is be ready to take your child (ren) to the next stage of their development whatever that happens to be…..walking, reading, driving, their first job. Be the leader and teacher in your home. You never get this time back.
Enjoy your children at every stage. Feel free to leave a comment or ask a questions. Until our next hot date.....
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