Interesting lesson learned today. It's fourth of July and I really didn't feel like going anywhere this year, but felt too guilty about depriving my child of a potential "experience" to give in to my laziness. I know Nathaniel doesn't like loud noises, but I tried to reassure him when he said he didn't want to go to the fireworks display. I felt certain he'd love it once he was out there. From my superior adult vantage I thought I knew better than he did what he'd like. And then, too, there was such a feeling of relief at the thought of being able to legitimately stay home for the evening, it made me even more determined that we should go.
Anyone could guess where this is going. The thirty minutes we were out there he never took his hands off his ears as people set off their own little sparklers and bottle rockets across the field. Even when he was happy and playing with one of his friends for a brief time, the hands did not come down. Finally, he begged me to go back to the car where he insisted on staying with all the doors and windows closed. I sat in there with him as he colored in the back seat and suddenly he said to me, "Why are we not at home? I told you I didn't want to go to see fireworks."
He DID tell me, more than once. I underestimated his ability to "fully understand" the situation and vetoed him. But, he does know what he likes and what he doesn't and I'll save us both a lot of grief if I listen to him rather than trying to manipulate his childhood experience with an eye on maximizing future nostalgic moments!
Anyone could guess where this is going. The thirty minutes we were out there he never took his hands off his ears as people set off their own little sparklers and bottle rockets across the field. Even when he was happy and playing with one of his friends for a brief time, the hands did not come down. Finally, he begged me to go back to the car where he insisted on staying with all the doors and windows closed. I sat in there with him as he colored in the back seat and suddenly he said to me, "Why are we not at home? I told you I didn't want to go to see fireworks."
He DID tell me, more than once. I underestimated his ability to "fully understand" the situation and vetoed him. But, he does know what he likes and what he doesn't and I'll save us both a lot of grief if I listen to him rather than trying to manipulate his childhood experience with an eye on maximizing future nostalgic moments!
1 comment:
The next day when Corbin asked Nathaniel why he left the fireworks show, Nathaniel said, "Because Mommy didn't listen to my words."
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