Brian and I differ on a few parenting tactics, which we “debate” frequently. Historically I have treated our kids as if they are older than they are, challenging them a bit - both good and bad, and Brian errs on the side of not complicating our lives by not giving them tasks that might not be ready for. For instance, when they were little they attempted some really complicated crafting DIY’s that failed so hard, provoked meltdowns and tantrums, and many tears. Point Brian. And maybe Elliot wasn’t ready to watch The Kissing Booth with me when she was 9 (but we were having a fun girls night! And it’s Jacob Elordi!!). But on the good side, I also have had them using knives since they were 3, cooking their own food since they were 5 and 7 (one of my better uses of time in lockdown) and they’ve had to clean up after themselves (even broken glass) from the second they could lift a paper towel. One of my favorite parenting mantras is ‘competence = confidence’ so my hope is that by having them accomplish tasks that society deems for older kids might result in a larger sense of achievement and more inherent confidence. But when out of nowhere, Brian said that he wanted to take the kids to a 2 hour and 40 minute Shakespeare play, I was like ‘look whose judgement is off on this time??’
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