Any mention of entering the dollar store will generally make my big kids giddy with excitement. There are few other stores that offer such variety of candy, crafts, books, stickers, storage containers, toys, music, what-have-you, that my children salivate eagerly at the idea of being able to choose perhaps two or three things that Mom will buy.
The last several months, we have avoided the toy aisles altogether. My kids have an abundance of toys and we really don't need 4 more trinket toys that will break 3.5 seconds after we exit the store. These days my kids head straight for the craft supplies.
I tell you all this in a long-winded fashion to say that we went to the dollar store yesterday afternoon. The big kids each picked out a bag of pom poms, a package of poster boards and a spelling book for M and a Kindergarten workbook for K. We went to stand in the very short line to check out, and when it was our turn M put her items on the counter first and asked for her own bag. (Both kids require their OWN bag for their stuff no matter where we go.) Then K put his stuff up and requested his own bag. While the cashier was ringing in his items, placing them in the bag and handing the bag to him, K commented "Thank you for buying this cool stuff for me Mom!"
Since I was finishing up the transaction, I murmured "you're welcome" admittedly distractedly. It hardly registered that K had thanked me, to be honest. As I was putting my change in my purse I caught the eye of the woman standing in line behind me. She clapped her hand to her heart and said "That was so sweet and so polite!" She may have had a little tear in her eye.
So it occurred to me that I do have good kids who do the right thing probably more often than not, but I am often too distracted to notice or acknowledge it. That has to be the surest way to ensure they will eventually stop doing those things, right? I need to change and recognize those good moments. It's more empowering for the kids to know what they're doing right and well than it is to tell them what they're doing wrong all the time.
Positivity! (Speaking of that, I forgot to pick the winner! Whoops! My bad. Drawing name now...be right back. The Random Number Generator picked comment #1! So that's you Holly! I'll try to get those bracelets sent out tomorrow.)
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 people like me!:
You're a good mom for recognizing that. It's so easy for all of us to get caught up in the day to day stuff. Sometimes we all need a reminder.
It's such a good reminder to recognize the times when they do positive things. I've been struggling with my 3yo's independent streak. It's made all the difference when I tell her thank you for doing good things. She seems to soften a bit and be more amiable. Seeing good in others seems to brighten our mood and theirs.
I'm always leery of my kids when they're polite. It's usually a prelude to something they're going to ask for... such as money.
Awesome. Sometimes, it's hard to remember to catch them being incredible. It's nice when someone else notices.
What a good boy! How sweet. I hope the craft supplies occupied the older kids for a while.
Thank you so much for the bracelets! I am wowed. I had commented that I was having a cupcake playdate. It turned into a Halloween cookie playdate. And a scatter-toys-all-over-the-house playdate. But it was a great way to spend the morning.
Post a Comment