It is a very different thing to be part-time raising an older child than it is to raise your own babies full-time.
We have issues sometimes with our 9 year old doing things that a 4 year old should know NOT to do, or she will NOT do things that we feel she should just instinctively know how to do.
Two things happened at breakfast on Friday morning that made me see how repetition and environment are so important. It makes me feel sorry for the lack of attention to our eldest :-(
First, Ankica stopped me while we started to eat breakfast. I thought she said she wanted to play so I told her she needed to eat first. She said "No Mama" and she repeated her word and held her hands in a classic prayer manner. I just about cried and thanked her for reminding me that we always pray before we eat. And during her usual prayer, Ankica AND Lillian tried hard to say some of the words. I was so proud of them :-)
We have been trying to get Lillian to eat with her utensils, which has been easier said than done. Ankica had one experience in a restaurant where we forced her to eat with her fork after being frustrated with mac and cheese being finger food. Pretty much since then she has been eating with utensils. Ankica is like that, when she is ready, once is often all it takes (and right now I am sure she isn't ready for potty training, but that is another story...).
I told Ankica to chew with her mouth closed this morning and Lillian to use her spoon. Suddenly, both of the girls were chewing with their mouths closed and using their spoons for their cereal! Lillian simply refused my help. I don't know if these manners will continue, but we made some real strides this morning and I am grateful for the opportunity to see them make these breakthroughs.
If anyone has any suggestions on how to get a 9 year old to chew with her mouth closed (we have tried many things and are just about to glue her mouth shut and blend all of her food...it's that gross), I would be happy to hear them :-)
2 comments:
Yikes! I did not realize it was that bad! We have some issues related to table manners as well, along with some other issues, I can feel your pain!
Sam will remind us to pray too, it is so sweet!
Love jo
Hey, here's a thought for you. My mother couldn't teach my sister to chew with her mouth closed for all the spankings and tears in the world. Turned out, my sister's septum had closed off her nostrils and she couldn't breath through her nose. She had surgery, and sure thing, she was chewing with her mouth closed and drinking without gasping in no time.
I know that's probably not the case with y'all, but it is something to consider.
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