Comments on: Letting go of the reins http://2passthetorch.com/2007/09/25/letting-go-of-the-reins/ The better ME I can be, the better MOM I can be. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:17:24 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: teri http://2passthetorch.com/2007/09/25/letting-go-of-the-reins/comment-page-1/#comment-39732 teri Tue, 09 Oct 2007 16:36:14 +0000 http://2passthetorch.com/2007/09/25/letting-go-of-the-reins/#comment-39732 My kids are now 9 and 7 and I have always tried to give them choices in areas where what they pick doesn't really matter. Does it really matter if they clean up their room or the basement first. Does it really matter if they wear a red shirt with orange pants? I think the kids appreciate feeling like they have some power and control. In situations where it does matter, however, I have found it helpful to give them a choice between two or three appropriate options. They still feel like they have power and I still have kids doing what they are suppose to. It is a win-win situation! My kids are now 9 and 7 and I have always tried to give them choices in areas where what they pick doesn’t really matter. Does it really matter if they clean up their room or the basement first. Does it really matter if they wear a red shirt with orange pants? I think the kids appreciate feeling like they have some power and control. In situations where it does matter, however, I have found it helpful to give them a choice between two or three appropriate options. They still feel like they have power and I still have kids doing what they are suppose to. It is a win-win situation!

]]> By: Daisy http://2passthetorch.com/2007/09/25/letting-go-of-the-reins/comment-page-1/#comment-38587 Daisy Sun, 30 Sep 2007 21:19:36 +0000 http://2passthetorch.com/2007/09/25/letting-go-of-the-reins/#comment-38587 I'm supervising our school's service club this year. The kids are awesome; we hope to build confidence and empowerment in them as well. I’m supervising our school’s service club this year. The kids are awesome; we hope to build confidence and empowerment in them as well.

]]> By: Anonymous http://2passthetorch.com/2007/09/25/letting-go-of-the-reins/comment-page-1/#comment-38574 Anonymous Sun, 30 Sep 2007 15:35:45 +0000 http://2passthetorch.com/2007/09/25/letting-go-of-the-reins/#comment-38574 <strong>Letting Go of the Reins</strong> This is a parenting tip that I don't think we consider very often. Empowering our kids isn't always a very natural interaction. But I link to a story that shows the possible results! Letting Go of the Reins

This is a parenting tip that I don’t think we consider very often. Empowering our kids isn’t always a very natural interaction. But I link to a story that shows the possible results!

]]> By: Jennifer http://2passthetorch.com/2007/09/25/letting-go-of-the-reins/comment-page-1/#comment-38548 Jennifer Sun, 30 Sep 2007 03:13:38 +0000 http://2passthetorch.com/2007/09/25/letting-go-of-the-reins/#comment-38548 This is a good tip! It's hard to let go of the control, but its so good for the kids. I recently let my daughter put up Little Mermaid wallies all over her room. Where ever she wanted. It's not the beautiful Asian theme I had planned for her room, but she loves it. Maybe I'll do my room with the Asian theme. <a href="http://lordsofthemanor.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">Jen @ Lords of the Manor</a> This is a good tip! It’s hard to let go of the control, but its so good for the kids. I recently let my daughter put up Little Mermaid wallies all over her room. Where ever she wanted. It’s not the beautiful Asian theme I had planned for her room, but she loves it. Maybe I’ll do my room with the Asian theme.

Jen @ Lords of the Manor

]]> By: Laane http://2passthetorch.com/2007/09/25/letting-go-of-the-reins/comment-page-1/#comment-38505 Laane Sat, 29 Sep 2007 09:15:03 +0000 http://2passthetorch.com/2007/09/25/letting-go-of-the-reins/#comment-38505 You are so right. I've always focussed on empowering them, especially the children with autism spectrum syndrome. Now they're in puberty I sometimes doubt if it's good for me. LOL! You are so right.

I’ve always focussed on empowering them, especially the children with autism spectrum syndrome.
Now they’re in puberty I sometimes doubt if it’s good for me. LOL!

]]> By: donetta http://2passthetorch.com/2007/09/25/letting-go-of-the-reins/comment-page-1/#comment-38404 donetta Fri, 28 Sep 2007 03:16:39 +0000 http://2passthetorch.com/2007/09/25/letting-go-of-the-reins/#comment-38404 Nice post! Nice post!

]]> By: Mary mert http://2passthetorch.com/2007/09/25/letting-go-of-the-reins/comment-page-1/#comment-38387 Mary mert Thu, 27 Sep 2007 22:06:34 +0000 http://2passthetorch.com/2007/09/25/letting-go-of-the-reins/#comment-38387 I totally agree! Letting Anna make decisions lets her feel like she is important and that she is accomplishing something good. I totally agree! Letting Anna make decisions lets her feel like she is important and that she is accomplishing something good.

]]> By: Laura @ Laura Williams' Musings http://2passthetorch.com/2007/09/25/letting-go-of-the-reins/comment-page-1/#comment-38372 Laura @ Laura Williams' Musings Thu, 27 Sep 2007 17:26:13 +0000 http://2passthetorch.com/2007/09/25/letting-go-of-the-reins/#comment-38372 Oh yeah, as my mom would say... cut those apron strings sometimes. Stop by my blog if you get a chance, I have something for you. http://laurawilliamsmusings.blogspot.com/2007/09/blogging-star-blogging-star.html Oh yeah, as my mom would say… cut those apron strings sometimes.

Stop by my blog if you get a chance, I have something for you. http://laurawilliamsmusings.blogspot.com/2007/09/blogging-star-blogging-star.html

]]> By: cardiogirl http://2passthetorch.com/2007/09/25/letting-go-of-the-reins/comment-page-1/#comment-38344 cardiogirl Thu, 27 Sep 2007 10:37:37 +0000 http://2passthetorch.com/2007/09/25/letting-go-of-the-reins/#comment-38344 I'm with Amy -- all this time I thought I was being lazy and avoiding a fight! Unless my kids are going to school or church they wear whatever they want to wear. They attend a Catholic school so they wear uniforms (problem solved there) and for church I give them two choices of a socially acceptable outfit. But we have many days in the dead of winter when they wear bathing suits in the house all day long. Who cares? My mother-in-law is constantly amazed that I let them pack their own clothes when we come to visit (MIL lives 300 miles away). Most of the clothes we own are pink so it's hard not to match. (I do make sure they have plenty of underwear, socks and pjs.) But now I'll tell MIL, I'm empowering my children. All joking aside, I agree completely. When you sit back and think about most of these situations, allowing your child to make the decision is a win-win situation. Of course there are the situations that don't warrant their input (taking medicine, not eating ice cream alone for breakfast, lunch and dinner, etc.) Good post! I’m with Amy — all this time I thought I was being lazy and avoiding a fight!

Unless my kids are going to school or church they wear whatever they want to wear. They attend a Catholic school so they wear uniforms (problem solved there) and for church I give them two choices of a socially acceptable outfit. But we have many days in the dead of winter when they wear bathing suits in the house all day long. Who cares?

My mother-in-law is constantly amazed that I let them pack their own clothes when we come to visit (MIL lives 300 miles away). Most of the clothes we own are pink so it’s hard not to match. (I do make sure they have plenty of underwear, socks and pjs.)

But now I’ll tell MIL, I’m empowering my children.

All joking aside, I agree completely. When you sit back and think about most of these situations, allowing your child to make the decision is a win-win situation. Of course there are the situations that don’t warrant their input (taking medicine, not eating ice cream alone for breakfast, lunch and dinner, etc.)

Good post!

]]> By: Overwhelmed With Joy! http://2passthetorch.com/2007/09/25/letting-go-of-the-reins/comment-page-1/#comment-38307 Overwhelmed With Joy! Thu, 27 Sep 2007 05:24:58 +0000 http://2passthetorch.com/2007/09/25/letting-go-of-the-reins/#comment-38307 Empowering my 2 1/2 year old is something I really struggle with. I find myself wanted to do things for him or to correct his "mistakes" rather than empowering him to figure things out or to explore things on his own. I'm working on it though. Good post! On a different topic, since you participated last year, I’m stopping by to let you know that I’m hosting a 2nd Edition of my <a href="http://overwhelmedwithjoy.blogspot.com/2007/09/holiday-cooking-blogger-style-2nd.html" rel="nofollow">Holiday Cooking, Blogger Style</a> recipe exchange! I hope you can join me again this year on 5 October. And, would you mind helping me to spread the word by publishing a post about my holiday recipe exchange before next Friday? I’d sure appreciate it! I have the button in my <a href="http://overwhelmedwithjoy.blogspot.com/2007/09/holiday-cooking-blogger-style-2nd.html" rel="nofollow">most recent post</a>. Thanks so much! Empowering my 2 1/2 year old is something I really struggle with. I find myself wanted to do things for him or to correct his “mistakes” rather than empowering him to figure things out or to explore things on his own. I’m working on it though. Good post!

On a different topic, since you participated last year, I’m stopping by to let you know that I’m hosting a 2nd Edition of my Holiday Cooking, Blogger Style recipe exchange!

I hope you can join me again this year on 5 October. And, would you mind helping me to spread the word by publishing a post about my holiday recipe exchange before next Friday? I’d sure appreciate it! I have the button in my most recent post.

Thanks so much!

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