Skip to main content

Parenting: Hands Off Hands On

The past two days we have been snowed in (well, snowed in for Tennessee) and I have been amazed: by my daughter.

At six years old, Shiloh still prefers NPT (channel 8 around here) programming to the Disney Channel.  She would rather watch "The Cat in the Hat" than "Jessi".  She would rather watch "Word Girl" or "Super Why" than "Austin and Alley" or "I Didn't Do It".  If you had asked me a week ago, I would have said those programs were beneath her. That she was too old for such programming.

 Hmmmm, maybe not.  Maybe, I'm the one pushing her to grow up.

What is more, she actually prefers to NOT watch TV.  What? She would much rather be working a puzzle, drawing, baking or playing make believe.  Electronics really are a last resort for her.

 Hmmmmmm.

These past two days are really making me re-evaluate my parenting with her.  Obviously she is not a mini-ME.  She does not have the same passion for movies and video games that her brother does.

She is her, and she is wonderful.

With that being said, I'm going to let her teach me. I am going to be hands off in picking activities so her natural interests develop in their own time and in their own way.

I will be more hands on, in doing these activities with her.

I want to encourage her to grow and try new things, but never push her. Never squash her spirit.  She is amazing. She is smart, funny, creative and caring.  She is also still so innocent.

 And I am going to let her be.



Please join me in this parenting journey.  I am turning off the TV and letting my daughter pick our activities, movies, etc during play time. I will encourage her.  I will let her grow. I will watch her blossom.  Please, slow down with me and let our children be our children.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

If I ignore it....

....will it go away? Today is just one of those days when everything hits me all at once: The stress of our situation and uncertainty of what is to come, the worries of money and how we will survive, and the feeling disconnected from the world. Day in and day out, I try to look at the bright side and hope and pray for the best. I do research to affirm where we stand and the likliness of a good outcome. I have thrown everything I have into finding ways to make and save money, telling myself it will make a difference. I never stop racking my brain. However, I never seem to shake the feeling of being disconnected from the world. My only social outlet is work, and being that, is limited. I seem to have very little in common with the people who are easily accessible to me outside of my family, and very little time for those with which I can relate. I crave something creative...to paint, photograph, write, but by the end of the night, when I alot my self some time, I am too mentally tired...
2 comments
Read more

I am a working mom

It is no secret if you know me at all, I am a working mom.  I work full time. I leave my house at 6AM and barely make it home by 6PM, Monday through Friday.  And then I work overtime some nights and weekends...like today.  I am spending my Sunday working overtime.  And then I also do photography on the side to make extra money. And I am active in my church's childrens ministry.  It gets to be alot.  Our lives are very hectic and sometimes I wonder if it's worth it. Are my priorities right? I believe my work is important.  I believe my work is necessary for my families survival.  Sometimes my work is needed for my sanity.  Even with a crazy work enviorment, sometimes it is mental break I need to function at home. However, as my children get older, the more I realize that I am missing thier lives.  I've daydreamed about becoming a stay at home mom, but let me tell you, the numbers don't work.  Even if we gave up all the ammenities...
Post a Comment
Read more

I'm a WOH! Mom

I am a WOH! (Work Outside the Home) Mom. I don’t have a choice. My Husband and I both have to work to afford a 1200 sq. ft. house in a small town 45 minutes out of Nashville. We both have to work to afford two older vehicles (2002 and 2003). We both have to work to pay the electric bill, water bill and car insurance. We don’t have cable or satellite, we don’t have internet and we don’t spend money eating out. Most months we barely get by. If one of us decided to stay home and we got rid of one vehicle, we could only afford to pay $200.00 in rent. We would still make too much to qualify for any kind of state or federal assistance. So we both work. But, if I had the choice, I would still be a WOH! Mom. Don’t get me wrong, I would LOVE to not HAVE to work, but I would still work. I would still send my daughter to preschool five days a week. For me, Preschool is a God-send. The group of teachers at her preschool are brave. They let the one year olds finger paint!! Preschool has taught my d...
3 comments
Read more