Parenting Advice from the Eight Year Old

Today Mr. Sneaky Pants said to me apologetically, “Sometimes you just have to be the Stubborn Mom, don’t you?”  This was in regard to his younger brothers small tantrum about needing to eat his peas prior to a second helping of applesauce.

The other day we were eating lunch outside.  Mr. Trouble on Feet was sitting in his chair eating happily, until he realized that the scrambled egg was falling out of his tortilla and that made him upset.  He started to fuss about not having a fork.  I told him he could go inside and get a fork himself.  He wailed.  I looked over at Mr. Sneaky Pants.

Me:  Could you go in and get your brother a fork?

Mr. SP:  Nope.

Me:  Could you please go in and get your brother a fork?

Mr. SP:  Mom, really.  If I go in and get him a fork, he’s never going to learn to do things for himself.  And then he’s going to end up being one of those spoiled, fussy kids.  We actually don’t want one of those.  We can’t just give into him all the time.

OK then.  Valid point!  Humorously, this parenting advice comes from the child who was the biggest temper tantrum throwing toddler I’ve ever met.  From age 2.5 through 4 he was impossible.  I couldn’t take him anywhere because he was constantly fussing and wailing and carrying on, creating those kinds of scenes where everyone looks at you and thinks you are the worst parent ever.  Everything under the sun that could upset that boy did no matter what time of day it was, and he let the whole entire world know about his feelings.

For the record, The Banana hopped up and ran in to get the fork without even being asked, which means Mr. TOF might be doomed to be a spoiled, fussy kid after all.