Any mother of a toddler – well maybe all mothers – will know that we are constantly have to pick our battle when it comes to our children, right? Dealing with a very strong headed little boy who’s not even 4 – he’ll 4 soon enough on December. It’s a constant bargaining, tugging and bending… When it comes to pickin’ my battles I had surrender when it comes to these:
- Scenario: Bath times. Lil’ A: “Don’t wash my hair!” His Mommy: Sniffin’ on his curls if there’s no noticeable smells then the shampoo will be put back in the shelf.
- Upon going places, he will pick his own shoes and often times will pick his Thomas boots – even when it’s not raining outside. Even when he already picked on a spiderman t-shirt and a stripes short. Talk about fashion hit and run!
- When he wants to strip himself half naked because it’s too hot. Hey, who could blame him! I would do the same thing if it won’t be such a scary view!
- When he insisted that no one should touch his creation of block tower. What can I say, he’s an architect/engineer in the making!
- When he just wants to listen to his Toy Story from the DVD while he’s busy playing with his train. God only knows if that DVD player can scream it surely will. He just needs the sounds!
- When we went out to eat with relatives. One of them is slurping their noodle so the toddler thinks it’s fun to do the same. Breathe in-breathe out tried to ignore the sounds. Hey, besides you can’t correct it in-front of the perpetrator right?
- When he thinks it’s more fun to break that free crayon he got at a restaurant to pieces after he’s bored drawing. He made a mess but oh well…
These are just some that I can think of but there’s been plenty of backin’ down on my part that I failed to remember – blame mommy brain – but yeah, once in awhile it is definitely necessary to pick your own battles when it comes to toddlerhood.
I tell my husband this all the time for our 2 yr old, great post =)
LOL yeah, it starts in early toddlerhood I guess 😉
Thanks for stopping by!
You definitely have to pick your battles. Otherwise, it would be one nonstop correction all day long. No one wants that.
Plus, I’ve come to realize that sometimes, there isn’t anything wrong with something that one of my kids is doing- it just annoys ME, but it’s not something that’s actually wrong.
So true! It’s more of the annoying aspects than major mistakes. 😀
Thanks, Shell!
I think this is one of the hallmarks of good parenting. Sometimes they need to get their own way.
Yeah, I keep to reminding myself that this little boy is a person and sometimes he just has his own ways of doing things 😀
I love the new design! I always read your blog in my email so I haven’t been here in a awhile.
I was always afraid that I would be the type of parent that picked every battle, even the small ones. I tend to be pretty intense. But I actualy am a very laid back parent, my mother told me she was shocked! haha
Regardless of how many battles you have, at least you’re battling with one CUTE kid!
Thanks, Kate!
LOL I have learned to relaxed a bit and let him get by with minor stuffs but not for important stuffs hahaha.
Isn’t all of life about picking one’s battles? Not even just with toddlers. You just have to do it more frequently with toddlers 🙂
For example, I’ve given up trying to make Little CEO look presentable when we leave the house. She has her own look she likes to rock. It’s mismatched and scary, but she loves it. If she’s happy, then I’m happy. Why fight it?
So true! It goes far beyond toddlerhood for sure.
LOL your Little CEO is so cute in her rockin’ style! 😀
Nice post!
Picking battles goes beyond toddlers, I do the same with my husband!
Cheers!
Hahaha so true, Andree…with the husband, I can go more than 1 page long for sure 😉
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You are so impressively smart about this, so early in the parenting game. I became smarter with each boy. Yes, I feel sorry for my first, I rode him about EVERYTHING. Sometimes it makes me cry.
Oh, well, no one is perfect.
Very good post, though it made me sad when I think how much perfection I demanded from my first.
Aww you made me blush but it’s not always easy. I’m strong headed and he’s even more stubborn than his mommy so somebody have to stepped down most times.
I think you are an awesome mother!
Well said, lady! It took me a while to really embrace this, but I’m realizing that if I’m always sweating the small stuff, I will lose my mind (the little of it that my own mommy brain has left me, that is 🙂 ).
Thank you, it doesn’t happened over night with me either. My husband has to keep reminding me that either I need to let lose a little bit or I’ll drive myself nuts hahaha.
I know I’ve told Craig, when he sees Kate has her shoes on the wrong feet and she doesn’t want to put them on the right way, that he needs to just let her walk out of the house like that and as soon as someone BESIDES he or I comments about her shoes being on wrong, she’ll ALWAYS make sure they are on the right foot from that point, forward.
Hahahaha she’s too cute, Liz! Your little Diva definitely have her own awesome taste 😉
At least you have a good attitude about it. Plus, you are inadvertently teaching your child a great lesson — sometimes he wins, sometimes he loses. Life IS all about picking battles. You’re doing a great job!
That balance is still hard to maintain especially because he’s surrounded by my dotting family who treats him like a king sometimes I had to be the mean mommy hahaha.
Thanks, girl!
I have to tell myself everyday, all day long, to pick my battles. I can TOTALLY relate to this!
Hahahaha I think we can safely add this ‘criteria’ to our mommyhood resumes.
This is how moms survive being a mom. Some things just don’t matter in the overall scope of things. If it won’t matter in 5 years, let it go! 🙂
So true! 😀 I just need to keep telling myself that. Thanks, Alana!
Great post hun. I’ve still got this to come but I think I’m going to have to pick carefully. Even at 8 months Piglet is showing signs of being very strong minded and stubborn so I can only imagine what the next few years will bring lol! I think it’s right to pick our battles, we can’t spend all day saying no and stop that, they have to learn from their own actions as well as with our guidance.
LOL I think we will eventually learn to pick what works for us and our kids, hun.
I’m still struggling to find the balance between allowing my parents spoil their first grandson and keeping him from feeling like he can get everything he wants hahaha. Not easy but I must do it for his own sake.
But with such an adorable little face, who cares what he’s wearing?!!
By the way, your site looks amazing. I love the header especially.