Mommy Servants

I was reading a blog about working versus stay-at-home moms, and the blogger wrote about how some moms are servants to their child. (She was referring to SAHMs, but I'm not convinced that this phenomenan is limited to SAHMs. I see lots of working moms who do the same thing.)

I am not a servant to my child. I expect him to be very self-sufficient and try to teach him how. It's little things, but it makes a huge difference. He eats, and then he empties his plate into the garbage, and then he puts his plate in the sink. Yesterday, we had a stand-off while he refused to pick up his blocks. No new toys to play with until blocks were picked up. Eventually, he picked them up.

I do not expect him to be independent and self-sufficient, though, for him to clean up the house for me. In fact, it would have taken HALF the effort and energy to just pick up the darn blocks myself. I am, in an ironic way, doing a service to my child, when I teach him how to fend for himself. If he is anything like his mommy, he'll be out of the house by 15, away at LSMSA. That means I have 13 more short years to get hhim ready.

I hear parents justify "serving" their children many ways. It's easier. He'll cry. He cannot do it himself.

Those poor kids. They are missing out on so many possibilities.

And if they clean up the table after themselves, it leaves more time for playing, hugging, and cuddling!

Etcetera.