One-upmanship of kids: that has always struck me as exceedingly wrong. Not bragging that your kid has reached a milestone, because as moms, we all deserve the right to brag that our baby just took a first step, or our kid got their first A on a test. Moms have the right to brag. What I am talking about is when someone says, "Oh, I got my kid potty trained!" And then someone else says, "Really? You waited so long? Little Suzy was potty trained when she turned one." Really? Good for you and little Suzy.
Most of you moms have been the victim of this one-upmanship between moms, whether the issue at hand is potty training, or the first word, or learning to read, or whatever. Babies do hundreds of new things, but the thing is, they are going to do them at their own pace. You can't force them to do something that they are not ready to do.
I used potty training as an example, because that was the one that I was hit with the most. My daughter had a cousin on her father's side, who actually was using the potty at one. And my daughter wasn't even close to being potty trained. And I tried everything to get that kid to pee on the pot. My favorite attempt was following the suggestion that I put my girl in 'big girl ' panties. All the time, 24/7. Except, for some reason, my daughter was fascinated by watching pee drip down her leg. Don't ask me why, okay? I don't understand the inner workings of a two year old's mind. All I know is that when she went to pee, she would bend over like she was gonna touch her toes and watch her pee flow down her leg. Wherever she stood, that was were she peed, right through those 'big girl' panties. And someone honestly suggested that if I took her out in public and let her do that she would be so embarrassed that she would stop. Are you kidding me? Someone would be embarrassed alright, but that person wouldn't be the little hot mess; that someone would be the little hot mess's mom: I'll pass.
Finally I just ignored all the people shoving their little prodigal children in my face, and let things happen how they were going to happen. My daughter was four when she finally graduated from pull-ups to 'big girl' panties, but on the bright side, she never had an accident after finally being potty trained. Just let this happen, trust me, your kid is not going to be still wearing diapers when they are sixteen.
The thing about playing the one-up card with kids is that they understand. I don't know why people think that kids don't understand what you are saying. They are kids, not furniture -- of course they understand you. And you're sitting there, possibly making some kid feel bad because she or he didn't do something as fast as another kid. Or you are making the parent feel bad about their kid and their parenting style, and there is no one right way. And kids don't develop in one same way. They march to their own drum. Let them; stop messing up their beat. Who cares who did what first? If your kid was first, fine, but all of your friends listened to you brag, so can't you listen to them brag without trying to take something from their accomplishment?
Most of you moms have been the victim of this one-upmanship between moms, whether the issue at hand is potty training, or the first word, or learning to read, or whatever. Babies do hundreds of new things, but the thing is, they are going to do them at their own pace. You can't force them to do something that they are not ready to do.
I used potty training as an example, because that was the one that I was hit with the most. My daughter had a cousin on her father's side, who actually was using the potty at one. And my daughter wasn't even close to being potty trained. And I tried everything to get that kid to pee on the pot. My favorite attempt was following the suggestion that I put my girl in 'big girl ' panties. All the time, 24/7. Except, for some reason, my daughter was fascinated by watching pee drip down her leg. Don't ask me why, okay? I don't understand the inner workings of a two year old's mind. All I know is that when she went to pee, she would bend over like she was gonna touch her toes and watch her pee flow down her leg. Wherever she stood, that was were she peed, right through those 'big girl' panties. And someone honestly suggested that if I took her out in public and let her do that she would be so embarrassed that she would stop. Are you kidding me? Someone would be embarrassed alright, but that person wouldn't be the little hot mess; that someone would be the little hot mess's mom: I'll pass.
Finally I just ignored all the people shoving their little prodigal children in my face, and let things happen how they were going to happen. My daughter was four when she finally graduated from pull-ups to 'big girl' panties, but on the bright side, she never had an accident after finally being potty trained. Just let this happen, trust me, your kid is not going to be still wearing diapers when they are sixteen.
The thing about playing the one-up card with kids is that they understand. I don't know why people think that kids don't understand what you are saying. They are kids, not furniture -- of course they understand you. And you're sitting there, possibly making some kid feel bad because she or he didn't do something as fast as another kid. Or you are making the parent feel bad about their kid and their parenting style, and there is no one right way. And kids don't develop in one same way. They march to their own drum. Let them; stop messing up their beat. Who cares who did what first? If your kid was first, fine, but all of your friends listened to you brag, so can't you listen to them brag without trying to take something from their accomplishment?
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