The Independent Clause

It has been brought to my attention that I coddle my nearly 5 year old way to much.  My husband has been telling me that for ages, but it didn't really hit me until the good Lord above called me out.  So, I started to think about our daily routine starting with bedtime.

We start in the bathroom where I put the toothpaste on the brush.  She then she opens her mouth for me to brush her teeth.  After, we go into her bedroom to read some books and bible stories and then she'll lie down.  I will snuggle up next to her as we say our prayers and then I sing and snuggle until she is asleep.  I quietly sneak out of her room and into my own bed at this time.

At about 3am Savannah either calls me from her room or shows up at the side of the bed.  "Can I sleep with you?"  She then crawls up and we snuggle until the morning.  I usually wake up before her, so I wait until she wakes up so that she doesn't have to wake up alone.

Then, I grab her animals and her nightime juicy and carry it downstairs for her where I proceed to make her breakfast.  After breakfast we head back upstairs where she picks out her clothes.  I sit on her bed and she brings them to me and lifts her arms so I can take off her jammies (nauseated yet?...)  I then hold out her pants as she places her feet in each leg hole.  I follow that by pulling her shirt down over her head for her.

After this, we go to the bathroom to brush her teeth.  I put the toothpaste on the brush and then she opens her mouth for me to brush her teeth.  After I brush my own teeth, I go into her bedroom, grab her socks, and we both head downstairs.

Once downstairs she sits down either on the couch or at the kitchen table while I put on her shoes and socks...  Yah, I could go on, but I won't.

I have to tell you, as much as she got (yes got, that is past tense) pampered and coddled, she showed little to no appreciation!  In fact, she was getting *cough, cough* a bit spoiled.

So, I decided that a lot of things needed to change.  I instituted the "Independent Clause" in our house.  She now dresses herself, brushes her own teeth, puts on her own shoes and socks (I still help a bit with the socks, but just a little bit, I promise!) and even washes her own body in the shower as well as drying off after.  It's amazing what a change I've seen in her in just the past week.  In fact, she even made her own PP&J (that's a post all by itself because it was so cute...)

Just yesterday, after accomplishing to put on her own socks she says to me, "Mommy.  Now all I have to do is be a good listener, and then I'll be a big girl."  Yah.  By todays standards, honey, you've been a big girl for over a year.  Being a good listener ain't the way to get there.  I kept that to myself though, hoping that she'd try to behave better so she'd "be a big girl."