Watching our little girl grow up is such a joy and pleasure. Allie is just 15 months old and enjoys helping out in the kitchen.
In a recent cooking lesson, I asked her to mix the biscuit mix a little bit more. She had been doing such a great job on it already. As innocently as a 15 month old could do, she quickly replied with her finger wagging, NO! You not my DAD!
Whoa! And I thought the teenage years were way off. I gently explained to her No, but I am your mommy and thank you so much for helping me cook Daddy dinner. With that, the temper quickly subsided and she mixed away proudly once again.
Allowing your little one the opportunity to be right causes little harm when done honestly and casually. Their little minds are only processing what they see and hear. It doesn’t always project what they are taught. With friends, television and more, the opportunity for mischief is easy to come by. The lessons lie in how it is dealt with from the start.
While we will not promote disrespect, we will promote individuality in our little girl. Cuteness goes hand in hand with attitude. Attitude can be altered in how we choose to respond. At least for now, she is our little girl. Give us twelve or so years to change our tune. For now, the sweet sounds of independence warm our souls as parents to a little one.