PJ Media Parenting's Best of the Web—9/2

It’s already September. If you aren’t already back to the joys of learning, you will soon be starting! I love this time of year. My front porch was actually pleasant today, and I didn’t have to bribe my little ones to come out into the humid heat; it felt like fall was on the way. In the midst of all this excitement, all this newness, we found out we lost a friend in an bicycle accident. It’s caused us to reflect and remember that life is so short. And made us treasure our tribe a lot more.

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While I can’t even pretend to like or find in anything cute about my almost 2-year-old’s constant fits, it makes a lot more sense after reading this article from Military Wife and Mom! No wonder she is so confused all the time!

“Which means, your 2-year-old is having illogical and impulsive thoughts driven by emotion–all day long. This is normal and expected because–woah–700 new neurons a second.

Instead of asking questions, meet your child exactly where they are in that moment. Girl scout’s honor. For real. Skip the questions. Toddlers don’t understand WHY they feel the way they do. They just feel it, and they gotta get it all out there.

This is why when you ask 2-year-olds “What’s wrong?” or “Why did you do that?” or “Why are you crying?”, they respond with crying, silence, repeating what they just told you, yelling or some other random response.  Your 2-year-old does not know the answer because his actions are based on emotional impulses, not logic. He doesn’t know why he doesn’t want toast anymore.”

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In light of the bad news we had this week, I found this post from Heather Dixon a great encouragement. They are only little once, and our time with them is so short.

“They quickly grow up and need us less. They learn to tie shoes one day. They make their own breakfasts. They finally wipe their own bums.

And as unglamorous as it sounds, I want to hold onto it. Because the good stuff will go quickly too. I want to remember their little voices. The shape of their adorable toddler bellies. I want to soak up this time when they think I’m the best, most fun and hilarious human that ever graced the earth.

When they start to grow, I will have time on my hands. I’ll eventually learn how to balance it better. I’ll eventually be sleeping long, long stretches at night. And then, I promise, I will be the good friend I want to be. The good friend I still am.”

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The secret to a happy life is right here.

“The simplest explanation is that forcing ourselves to focus on thoughts and actions related to gratitude, regardless of circumstances, helps our brains develop positive emotions.  In one notable study, researchers asked participants to smile forcibly while thinking of something specific they’re grateful for. They found that this consistently stimulated mental activity associated with positive feelings and emotions.”

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My middle girl is starting preschool on Tuesday.  She’s the child that panics whenever she leaves my side. Unless it’s Grammy or Chi-Chi, she’s all mine. So, this is an important and needed step in her emotional and social development.  But, I’m still a bit panicked. It was good to see I’m not alone. From Mommy Shorts:

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How cool is this?!  I can’t wait to do this for my kids room.  You could even do a tractor cut-out with all green crayons for a farm lover. Or a princess and all pink for a girls room! The possibilities are endless.

Sometimes I need suggestions for how to talk back to my talking back kids.  This was a short and clarifying read.

“A wise mom will measure her words carefully when responding to back talk so that parental authority doesn’t dissolve in a verbal tug of war. The last thing you want to do is engage in a lengthy back-and-forth with your child. This only encourages future arguments about rules and boundaries. But on those occasions when you think your child’s back talk deserves or needs a response, here are some wise words when your children talk back.“

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Enjoy your weekend!

#pjparenting