Children raising themselves...and doing a GREAT job!

When I only had one kid I did a lot of patting myself on the back for what great parenting choices I made.  Henry slept all night, ate EVERY kind of food (including kale and beets) that I ever gave him, never fussed or cried, never watched television, etc. etc. etc.  Then I sprouted another child and some of my choices got lazier.  I still made Eddie's baby food, but he was a MUCH pickier eater and remains stubborn about trying new things (unless it's his idea...)  They watch entirely too much television, tho I do still hold the reigns tightly on WHAT they watch.  And they are generally more "free" to make their own choices.

Which is sometimes bad.  And sometimes not so much.

I was feeling a touch lazy this morning, so I asked the kids, "Do you guys want to watch a cartoon?"  (Mama needed to check some emails and do a bit of fundraising work...)  Henry said, "Um, no, I don't think so.  I think I'll read Eddie a book on my iPad."  (Okay, so still a "screen," but one where they sit together and do something that does require a LITTLE bit of input and cooperation...and BTW...my kid does not own an "iPad," but rather a $70 vTech Innotab which I think was one of the coolest gifts EVAR because he has learned to be very responsible with how much time he spends on it...HE seriously will choose after brief periods of "iPad-ing" to put it away and go play outside or in his room.)  Later I asked, "What kind of cereal do you guys want for breakfast?"  And BOTH squirts said, "Oatmeal, please!!!"  and then Henry followed with, "Can we have cranberries in it?"

Oh how I love them.  I've started to transition in this path of motherhood from patting MYSELF on the back for my choices to patting my CHILDREN on the back for theirs.  And there's so much of this road yet to travel...