Becoming obsolete

Some Lego creativity. A park.

I like this phrase. It sums up what we do as parents. We're trying to teach our kids all they need to be able to launch into independent living as adults. 


I've just read part of an blog post by an Occupational Therapist (only part because it was quite a long rambling article) about this topic. She had some gems towards the end:

"Help your child find a hobby or pastime that involves solving problems, like woodworking, knitting, crochet, sewing, cooking, putting together wooden models, etc.
Send the child to camp in the summer where he will learn outdoor survival skills like swimming, hiking, building a fire, cooking over an open flame,  paddling a kayak or a canoe, archery,  setting up and tearing down a tent, tying knots, and foraging. 

Make sure your child has frequent opportunities to prove to himself that he can rely on his body to do what he tells it to do, and on his judgment to solve his problems."

I think they're gems, probably because I think our family is doing them fairly well. Instead of letting them sit in front of computer screens or TV screens, or playing DS games for hours, we make them find their own fun. Lego is a big part of that. But I think the camping we've done this year has been good too.

My favourite micromanagement tool.

My problem as a Mum who happens to be an OT, is that I have high expectations of my own kids. I think I'm trying to make myself obsolete too quickly. I want my kids to be able to organise themselves to get all their homework done without me breathing down their necks the whole way. The same thing with self-care tasks like showers, teeth, dressing etc. I hate having to follow them around the house making sure they are moving at a decent pace on these tasks. 

The reality that I have to resign myself to, is that if I don't currently micromanage my 9 and 6 year olds, they don't get finished in time to get to bed or to get to school. But it drives me balmy! Both the micromanagement and that if I don't, their inability to get it all done. Anyone else out there feel the same way?

I have to say, though, that I've seen lots of progress in the last year with our 12 1/2 year old (he gleefully told his he had his half-birthday this week). So, I guess there's hope. I just need patience and prayer . . . every day.