So there’s this post going around about a woman who felt bad telling her daughter to hurry up. It’s on Huffington Post here.
I admit it, I was moved when reading it. I thought, “Oh wow, she’s RIGHT. I need to SLOW DOWN. I shouldn’t tell my kids to hurry up all the time. We need to LIVE.”
And then the next day I was like, “Hurry up!” because Natalie decided to sit down and stare at her knee as we walked back from the shoppette.
It was hot out.
She can look at her knee inside.
“I thought I saw a hair on my knee,” Natalie said, peering at it. “It was weird looking. What if it was a bug?”
Sweat dripped down my forehead. The shoppette isn’t far from our house. It’s probably like a 10 minute walk. 25, if you walk with Natalie.
According to the post, Natalie is a noticer, meaning she notices basically every damn thing in the world.
This is cute, don’t get me wrong, but it’s not so cute when it’s sweltering out and she’s looking at her KNEE.
I’m trying hard to bite my tongue when it comes to walking with Natalie. I don’t want her to feel rushed all the time. But I also have places to be, things to do. We can observe bugs and the wonders of the world together. But a knee? A KNEE?!
“Okay. All done,” I said to Natalie and scooped her up. I carried her all of two seconds. It was too hot so I set her back on the sidewalk. And then Natalie was like, “Oh! A bug.”
Crap. I did make a vow that I’d be patient when we looked at creatures of the world, did I not? So I forced a smile on my face and went, “It’s lovely,” even though it was not. It was one of those disgusting stink bugs.
“I wonder where it’s going,” Natalie said. “To her mommy?”
I was going to pass out if I didn’t get water soon. How much longer was she going to observe? How long was I supposed to stand there until I could tell her to move it along?
So I went, “Natalie. Let’s go inside and we can discuss various bugs there. We can look up YouTube videos.”
Look, I promise we can observe and notice things together when the temperature is comfortable.
Really, I promise.
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Hahaha! SO true. I've read all those things about the rushing thing, but alas, sometimes rushing is necessary. There's a time and place for everything, right? :)
ReplyDeleteNot going to happen, you've got to slow down now. Read that story again, it's pretty good. (too late to do it with my kids)
ReplyDeleteI feel like I have to say hurry up when getting out of the car. It is hot and I want to get inside quickly!
ReplyDeleteHaha I was touched by the article too, but what you're saying is so true! When it's hot, or pouring rain for that matter, hurrying is the only logical option.
ReplyDeleteTemperature and patience do go hand in hand!
ReplyDeleteNatalie is "gonna learn ya" some patience - like it or not!!!
ReplyDelete:)
LOL!! That's what I was thinking. Yes, we need to slow down and appreciate the little things but at the same time we gotta keep going. It's a lose lose situation.
ReplyDeleteHot days will take the patience right out of us! It's hard when we are dripping with sweat standing in the sun, not a shady spot to be found to find patience. I always tried to spend extra time (in the air conditioner) talking to them. Maybe if its feasible tote a small camera and snap a picture when it's too hot at the things she's observing. Just a thought.
ReplyDeleteI try to pick my battles. When I'm lugging both twins in public it is forever a "hurry up" state to get back home before the next "he hit me" happens. That being said, we focus on giving the boys individual time, and when I only take one boy out shopping, you'll often hear us singing "twinkle, twinkle little star" or the ABC's as we make our way through the commissary.
ReplyDeleteI LOATHE being late for things, which is why I try to plan to be ready at least 10 minutes before I need to leave. Lately, our morning routine is often interrupted due to both boys being extra tired but still wanting to do everything themselves. *deep breaths*
That article definitely made me tear up...because I was a "hurry up mom." But...they also have to learn that sometimes you just have to hurry up.
ReplyDeleteIm a different person when it's hot. : )
ReplyDeleteI am guilty of it also. Especially when going to the store. I want to get in and out. My kids like to see everything there is on the shelves, while I want to grab and run. I do need to slow it down some. I have a habit of getting frustrated when being slow down.
ReplyDeletehahaha!! I read that article. I was moved. Then I thought it was another ploy to make us all feel badly about ourselves. If I never told Scarlet to hurry, we'd never get anywhere at all!
ReplyDeleteOf course noticing things and looking at the word around us is important, but so is arriving places on time, and understanding that we have to consider how hot others are getting while they wait for us, or cold, or whatever. Natalie seems to be growing up just fine, don't worry about it!
ReplyDeleteThis post cracked me up! I feel the same way.
ReplyDeleteSo with you 100%. I want to be a stop and smell the flowers kind of mom, but I am not. I am a rusher.-Ashley
ReplyDeleteI read that story. It was sweet, but not altogether realistic. There is a time for slowing down and noticing things but there are times when that is not possible and kids do need to learn that.
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to take the time and not hurry every second, but the reality is, sometimes things have to be done...and we need hydration!
ReplyDeleteI read the article too, and really tried to make an effort with my "noticer" of a three year old. But really, I think she is just procrastinating most of the time. And man is that child good. If I let her notice everything on her way to bed, it would be midnight before she ever got there.
ReplyDeleteThanks for making me feel better!
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