TOD 02.11.08

While my wife was still asleep this morning, Spencer started playing noisily with a toy on the coffee table. I told him to stop because “Mommy is still sleeping.” He waited a few moments and then played with it again, so I asked, “What did I say about that?” he replied, “But I want to play with it.” So I told him he had a choice, either he could stop playing with it or I could take it away. After a few more moments went by, he resumed playing with it, but much more quietly. When I looked at him, he said, “It’s not loud. I won’t wake mommy up.”

I had to chuckle to myself because this was such a strange mixture of parenting success and failure. On the one hand, he was clearly disobeying me. But on the other hand, he had learned that the principle was more important than the rule made for it. In finding a way to satisfy the purpose of my command while still doing something he wanted to do, he showed me that I’ve created a rational problem-solver.

After all, though I want him to obey me, I also want him to think …especially for those times when I may be wrong.