toddlers don't understand the concept of time. What they do understand is being rushed. I've noticed that if we are running late in the morning, and I push her to get dressed, or help her get an article of clothing on, or whatever it is she should be doing, she reacts by taking longer than usual to do whatever it is she should be doing. I've blogged about those mornings where it takes forever for her to get dressed or get ready and it frustrates both of us to no end.
I don't know why it took me so long to realize this. I guess part of me expects her to understand that "we are running late" means what it means. I tend to treat her as if she's much older than she is because of how intelligent she already seems.
So. Now I know how much time to give Aria to get ready in the morning, and that way I can let her take her time getting dressed, with gentle reminders when one of the steps takes too long.
This of course changes from day to day depending on her mood. or my mood. or doogan's mood. or the weather... but it's a good guideline.
One thing that is funny, is that on days when Aria gets ready promptly, there seems to be something at the very end, usually right when we are about to go into the garage, that comes up. Today Aria decided that I had to put her hair in pigtails. not a problem. while I'm doing that, she says "I need something to eat."
"how about some little animal crackers?"
"noooo, I need something to eat."
"ok, how about some chewy bunnies?" (relax, they're little fruit bunnies)
"noooo, I want something to eat!"
by this time, I'm done putting her hair up, and she's going to the fridge TO GRAZE. I wonder where she learned that? our on-time/late window is wide open now, and I'm beginning to worry about whether or not we'll be able to go into the back entrance at her school (they close that gate at 9, and then we have to go in the front entrance and walk the whole length of the school and down a flight of stairs to get to her class).
So I make my final suggestion "how about a piece of cheese?" Aria loves cheese. we get those little baby bells wrapped in wax, and she enjoys unwrapping them and eating the creamy cheese inside. Aria accepts one, and sits down to unwrap it. ugh.
"let's go in the car and eat that, ok?"
"noooo, picnic!"
I convince Aria to come out to the car, with some tears shed, she unwraps the cheese and takes one bite and then hands it to me so I can buckle her in the carseat.
"I'm done, daddy."
"really?"
"yes."
"are you sure you're done?"
"yes, daddy, you eat it."
"are you sure I can eat it?"
"yes!"
I put the whole thing in my mouth, and Aria screamed that she wanted to eat it! It was litterally in, cry, out. I handed it back to Aria, she inspected it for daddy cooties, and continued eating it.
Our back entrance "window" has now closed. And we were SO gonna be on time today!
we did our usual chatting during the car ride to school, talking about planes, other cars, clouds, the birds she sees and wants to tell her teacher about, etc. I park the car at her school, and come around to let Aria out of the car. she has one tiny piece of the baby bell left.
"can you finish that so we can go into school?"
"no, I'm done."
...
did I learn anything? no. at this point in the morning, I'm all about getting her into school (the front entrance, long walk, flight of stairs). So what happened not 10 minutes prior isn't even on my mind. let's play this one out...
"are you sure?"
"yes, throw it away."
"Ok, I'm going to throw it away, and then you won't be able to finish it..."
"I'm done, daddy, throw it away over there." (Aria points to the dumpster in the school parking lot that she likes to point out from time to time)
"are you sure?"
"yes"
I throw the small piece of cheese, and I get "OOOOH NO DADDY! You threw the cheese away!"
drama queen. tears streaming down her face for that lost little piece of cheese. I apologized and explained to her that she chose to throw it away so it is gone. now I have to carry her the whole way through the front entrance, the long walk through the school, down the flight of stairs, to her classroom. otherwise it would mean dragging a screaming kid. she calmed down by the time we entered the school, but didn't want me to put her down once we were in her class! very clingy indeed.
Once Aria saw her friends, she let me put her down and gave me a big hug and kiss like she usually does. what an interesting morning!
This is the facial response to the question "Are you ready to eat your Easter chocolate?"
