Irk-Worthy Things That Parents Do
It's a known fact that kids act differently around different people. Of course they know how to manipulate Mom and Dad or get everything they want with Grandma and Grandpa. But what about Nanny? Parents sometimes don't understand how different kids are. When I tell a Parent that they kid ate lima beans with me, they almost fall over and faint. So, what is so hard to believe? Well, for starters, kids know what they can and can't get away with around certain people. They know that if they ask for a sip of water before bed with Mom and Dad, that will delay going to sleep. Because every time Mom and Dad fall for it and think their kid is actually thirsty, right? Wrong. The kid isn't thirsty. So here is a list of things that I find annoying about Parents(more so about the kids who do these things, but they get away with it, so I can't be annoyed with those cute little things!)
1) Putting your kid in front of the TV and then Parents complain that they watch too much TV. - Well, what do you think? A kid will just get up and stop watching TV? No, Parents. You let them watch. They don't know that too much TV isn't good for them. It is your responsibility to go turn it off. Let it cause a tantrum.
2) Saying that your kid eats too much junk food. Again. You are the Parent. If your kid won't eat a solid meal, stop giving so many potato chips and cookies.
3) Not letting your child cry. Let the kid cry. Especially if it's because he dropped his toy. You are setting your child up for failure if you don't let them learn disappointment.
4) Doing every little thing for the kids. I once Nannied for a 4 year old girl who was unable to dress herself because her Parents dressed and undressed her everyday. Be patient with your kids. Learning how to dress and undress themselves is a basic neccessity in life. A 3 year old should know how to do this. I'd love to be that girl where everything was done for me, however, that is not reality. Learning independence is the best thing for a child(whether or not we want them to be!)
5) I say this one a lot: Diversifying your childs palette. If you don't want a kid who only eats chicken nuggets and mac and cheese, then stop giving it. Do not give up on new foods. A baby needs to try a new food 11 times before they decide whether or not they like it. We can do the same with older kids. There's also nothing wrong with a little bribery. "Try this and I'll give you this." It works.
