My Little Mr. Independent

Hey Lovelies!

When Aiden was in the 2's class, I always felt as though his teachers were a bit strict. And here's why: they always require the children to do just about every thing on their own. Call me a total sucker or softy, but I've always felt that the teachers should assist the children with certain things a little bit more.

And my reason has always been so simple: because the kids are so small.
How can they expect 'em to eat properly with a spoon? They are so small?! How can they expect 'em to pull their pants up and down during potty time on their own? They are so small?!
Now that he's in the 3's class, my "But their so small!" thinking has transferred over to this class as well. Until this summer.

Last week, I started arriving a bit early at the preschool to pick Aiden up. As I watched during snack time, clean up, and bathroom time, I was totally flabbergasted. The boy eats on his own (with a spoon!), cleans up, says when he needs to go to the potty, pulls his pants down, uses the potty, flushes, washes his hands, and announces, "I finish!"

Huh?!

Is this MY son?!

Don't get me wrong, he does most of those things at home. But most of the time, it's done after a little prompting from me.
Me: Aiden, do you have to go to the potty?
Aiden: Nope.
Me: (Eyebrows raised) Aiden...
Aiden: Umm...yes.

And then he goes.
Aiden: (Attempts to pull his pants and pull-ups down) Mommy, I can't do it; I need help.

And then he proceeds to use the potty, wash his hands, and announce, "I finish!" [It's never a, "I'M finished," but always a "I finish." Those two-year-olds.]

When it's time to eat, he attempts to use the spoon, makes a bit of a mess at his little table, and then says, "Mommy, I need help. Pleeaaasseee."

How can I say no to those eyes?

So I end up feeding him.

And let me tell ya'll, the list goes on and on...
I must admit, I'm the culprit of my little Mr. Independent-and-I-can-proudly-

do-it-all-by-myself-at-school being not-so-Mr.-Independent-and-mommy-I-need-help-at-home.
Like I said, I'm a total softy and have always felt like he was too small to do certain things. But obviously he's not. So my new rule of thumb is... if he's big enough to do it at school, then he's big enough to do it at home. All by his lonesome.

No matter how old he is, his teachers will always expect him to be self-sufficient in certain aspects. And as a former teacher, I should know this. But as a mommy... eh. I love him to pieces and maybe a part of me doesn't want him to grow out of that toddler phase. But he'll always need my help with some things, right?

But more importantly, I don't want him to become totally dependent on me to the point where he cannot function when I'm not around. That would do him a HUGE disservice. So yea... If he can do it at school, he can do it at home. All by his lonesome.

And in the end, it'll make both our lives a little bit easier.

Smooches,
SweetAl