Thinking about wonder, curiosity, and learning in the early years
I often wonder how much of what’s going on in the high school scene, college scene, and beyond is a symptom of how we allow “no” to be ignored early on.
“Boys will be boys”, or “It’s not that big of a deal”, or “He was just playing.”
No means No.
Stop means stop.
If a 3yo asks you to stop chasing them, stop tickling them, stop. And don’t use those words yourself unless you mean them.
This innovation, this ability to think outside the box, is a huge asset that will serve him well later in life — if we can figure out how to navigate these early years in a way that celebrates and channels his creative impulses.
Especially with strong-willed children, we can sometimes see a battle or refusal coming, and for the sake of all involved, it would be nice to have some magic words (other than a bribe) that get the kids moving and on their way.
You want to know what those secret words are, at least some of the time?
Here you go.
My husband and I are naturally cautious. Being attentive parents, our childrens’ first years were filled with “be careful”, “no touch”, and “let me help you.” It’s no wonder, then, between genetics and parenting style, that we have cautious kids who deal with some larger anxieties than normal. What we’ve been learning along the way,…
