Thursday, February 25, 2010

Persistence Pays Big Rewards

"Mom, if I put on my shoes and socks, can I go outside and play?" These are the words uttered by my four-year-old on several occasions over the past couple of weeks. There are so many wonderful things about this question, but let me tell you about just one of them.

The biggest thrill for me is that I am a stickler for the kids wearing shoes and socks to play outside (unless we're at the beach, of course). Why? For two reasons -- safety and safety. Wearing gym shoes protects their 10 little toes from getting injured while playing, and it helps prevent them from falling and getting injured.

The sight of children running in flip flops just makes me cringe. Lots of parents let their children play this way, and that is their business, but it's not my preference for my kids. Herein lies the problem.

For years, I've been requiring this of Tyler and Alyssa, and for years they've whined, cried, groaned, moaned, kicked and screamed about it. "It's too much work to put on shoes and socks," or "Sally Soandso doesn't always wear gym shoes."

Well, I've learned over the past few weeks that my persistence and patience has paid off! They get it! Even though they fought me almost every time, they got the message, and they know exactly why they wear gym shoes when they go outside to play!

So, now, not only do they ask if they can go outside and play, but they also mention the fact that they will put on their shoes and socks (by themselves, nonetheless)! Yippee!

Just thought I'd pass along that bit of positive encouragement for all of us parents who sometimes get "oh, so tired" of repeating the same mantras over and over and over again! It's worth it!

1 comment:

  1. So, you mean that the billionth time I tell Kevin to put his shoes and socks AWAY after he has come in and torn them off, that he's going to get it? I sure hope so!

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