The Name of the Game is Patience

Patience is a virtue.  Or so that is what we are told.  Any parent can attest that children test that virtue all day every day.  Sometimes they push the limits and test our boundaries to see how much they can get away with.  Other times it is simply a learning exercise.  

He loves playing with his toys and some days decides that he simply wants to make a mess.  He knows how to clean up and can do it when he wants to.  When he does not want to clean, he runs away from the toy mess he left in the middle of the floor and goes into another room.  He knows exactly what he did.  This is where having patience is necessary because he will eventually come back to help clean up the toys.  But he has been taught that he needs to clean up after himself and that mommy and daddy will help him but it is his job.  

There are some things that our son picked up on very quickly and learned pretty early on.  He was rolling over, crawling, and then walking by 6 months old.  Now we cannot keep up with him half the time as he runs from room to room in the house.  He is trying to teach himself to jump.  He is teaching himself to eat with a fork and spoon.  He learns something new every day.

Some days it just takes more time and effort to teach him certain things.  We keep practicing and practicing and he eventually gets it.  But he can get frustrated and we must remain calm and patient and help him through.  When he learns something new or figures out how to do something on his own, his happiness is worth the effort.