Friday, July 16, 2010
What Boy or Grandma Can Refuse a Mud Puddle?
How many times do you hear a mom say "don't jump in that mud puddle! You will get dirty."
I used to say those same things to my boys until one day I heard a child-help speaker ask these questions
I realized in order to stay sane and allow my boys to grow into productive men that I would have to change my thinking and start asking myself " if it is not life threatening and it is not morally threatening then why not?"
I soon learned that a little dirt was a good thing for making good boys.
Recently I have been reminded of this "dirt thing" as I watched my husband and a neighbourhood friend working with a "bobcat" (not an animal but rather a large tractor) moving an enormous pile of dirt from one spot to another. It was like watching our boys using their toys in the sandbox in the backyard so many years ago.
Boys need to be outside and digging in the dirt, splashing in the mud puddles and coming in worn out from having had fun building and creating.
You will find that if you can lighten up and enjoy the muddle puddles with them life will be easier on everyone.
As a side note I have tried to buy each one of our grandchildren the boys and the girls a pair of rubber boots so they could go out and play in the mud puddles and the rain.
They also each have their very own umbrella which is a must have kid item.
Recently I went out and bought myself a PINK pair of rubber boots so I can go Muddle Puddle splashing too.
I used to say those same things to my boys until one day I heard a child-help speaker ask these questions
- Is it life threatening?
- Is it morally threatening?
I realized in order to stay sane and allow my boys to grow into productive men that I would have to change my thinking and start asking myself " if it is not life threatening and it is not morally threatening then why not?"
I soon learned that a little dirt was a good thing for making good boys.
Recently I have been reminded of this "dirt thing" as I watched my husband and a neighbourhood friend working with a "bobcat" (not an animal but rather a large tractor) moving an enormous pile of dirt from one spot to another. It was like watching our boys using their toys in the sandbox in the backyard so many years ago.
Boys need to be outside and digging in the dirt, splashing in the mud puddles and coming in worn out from having had fun building and creating.
You will find that if you can lighten up and enjoy the muddle puddles with them life will be easier on everyone.
As a side note I have tried to buy each one of our grandchildren the boys and the girls a pair of rubber boots so they could go out and play in the mud puddles and the rain.
They also each have their very own umbrella which is a must have kid item.
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