Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Tuesday Ten - Things I Didn't Realize I Would Have to Teach My Kids

When you have kids, you know there are certain things you will have to teach them.  Some things we look forward to teaching like reading and riding a bike.  Other things we anticipate with a bit more dread like having "the talk" or teaching them to drive.  However, my oldest is almost 11 now and I have found myself teaching these girls some things that never occurred to me before I had kids.

So for today's Tuesday Ten . . . . 

The Golden Spoons



1.  How to use a towel - My two oldest are independent enough to shower on their own (and the youngest is almost there) but, they seem to have no idea how to use a towel.  They step out of the shower and simply wrap the towel around them super hero cape style.  (Assuming they remembered to get a towel before they got in the shower, that is.)  Despite repeated reminders, they do not seem to grasp the concept of actually rubbing the towel across their bodies to actually dry themselves off.  

2. How to clean up - Last month, I wrote about my "Chores Experiment".  I have written before about my frustration with getting my kids to clean up.  What I have learned is that my definition of cleaning up is very different from my kids definition of cleaning up.  To them, their room looks clean, but I still see shoes in the floor or an un-made bed.  If I want them to clean according to my definition, I have to explain it very clearly again and again and again.

3.  How to dress - Wardrobe is an ongoing issue in my house. Each of my three girls definitely has her own individual style and I have learned that some battles just aren't worth the fight.   But at some point, they have to learn that neon green and orange are not an attractive color combo; that striped shorts and a paisley top are not complimentary; and that simply putting high heels on with sweat pants does not automatically make your outfit "dressy."

4.  How to comb their hair - You just run a brush through it, right??  Apparently it is not that simple.  Now to her credit, my oldest does have rather curly hair, but at almost 11 she still needs me to comb it out for her after a shower (or at least she thinks she does).  My middle one would never pick up a brush if I didn't ask her every day "Have you combed your hair?".  When the youngest attempts to fix her hair, it usually involves about half a bottle of detangler and some bows that are simply decorative and serve no function whatsoever.  (She's only 5, so I'll let her off the hook - for now!)

5.  How to brush their teeth - As adults we do this so often (hopefully) that we don't give much consideration to our method - it's just a habit.  Not so with the kids.  My middle feels strongly that a proper teeth brushing can be completed in less that 15 seconds.  The youngest puts the brush in her mouth and chews on it - like one of those dog treats that "brushes" their teeth when they eat it.  Getting them to do it efficiently takes delicate instruction.
(And, I recently found toothbrushes that light up for one minute - as long as it is blinking, they have to keep chewing - er, brushing.)

6.  How to talk on the phone -  My two oldest occasionally have friends call them at home.  Often the initial conversation goes like this:
Me: Hello.
Friend: Hi.
(Silence)
Me: Who are you calling to talk to?
Friend: Megan
Me:  O.k.  She can't talk right now because she is doing her homework.  Can she call you back?
Friend: O.K.
Me: Well, who is this?
Friend: [gives first name only]
Me:  Well, I'll have her call you when she finishes her homework.
Friend: 'K
Me: Bye
~Click~
What I have realized is that, in this technological world, actual conversation does not come naturally to children.  So, when my kids call someone else, I give them step by step instructions:
The first thing you say is "Hi this is  {Name}.  Then, tell them you are calling to speak to {friend}.  If you have to leave a message, be sure to give your phone number, too.  And, don't forget your manners - say "Yes ma'am, no ma'am, Yes sir, and no sir" if friend's parents answer!
(For the record, I overheard my oldest talking to someone's mother the other day and was quite impressed if I do say so myself!  At least something is sinking in!)

7. TV is not reality - We adults get the behind the scenes of TV shows.  We know there are scripts acted out by people who are getting paid.   Kids sometimes don't get this.  You mean they redecorated that house in three days?  But it was only on for an hour!  Did you ever notice that Austin & Ally never go to school???  When I get married I'm going to get a $25,000 wedding dress too! 

8.  How to tell jokes -   Have you ever heard anything like this from the back seat?
Knock, Knock.
Who's there?
Zebra.
Zebra Who?
Zebra is a giraffe!!!!
(hysterical laughing)
Suffice it to say, I don't think kids get the gist of a punchline until they are a little older and have had some coaching.

9.  About Money -   Of course kids have to learn how money works eventually, but, this is not something we think about when we are cuddling that sweet infant.  They don't have any idea how much things really cost or how money works.  Once, my girls were asking why we couldn't just buy them a horse (two of them take riding lessons).  As I explained that horses are very expensive, they said "Well, just go to that machine, put your card in, and get the money!"  Obviously, they have a lot to learn about money management!

10. The necessity of sleep - Half the time, the phrase "Sleeping like a baby" doesn't even apply to babies, so I guess it's unfair to expect it from kids.  Now, I have confessed that my kids are not early risers.  However, when it comes to bedtime, they are master stallers.  "Can't we finish this show??  There's only 7 more minutes!"  And, once they are in bed, the often get out of bed a handful of times before actually settling down.  "It's hot upstairs!" (Nope!  Same temperature it has been all day.)  "I have a mosquito bite!"  (Strange, it hasn't bothered you all day long.)  "I need you to cut this toenail."  (It didnt' need to be cut 15 minutes ago before you were in bed!  Wow!  It must have grown incredibly fast!)

So there you have it - my Tuesday Ten!  How about you??  Leave me a comment and let me know what things you didnt' realize you would have to teach your kids!  

  

30 comments:

Sarah @ LeftBrainBuddha said...

My children must have learned knock-knock jokes from the same book your kids did ~ it's like Surrealism/Dada poetry and they find it hysterical. And towels.... yes, who would have thought towels were so complicated???

Tess said...

haha-very funny! I know, you'd think they were all a given, but we truly must teach the obvious!

Roshni Aamom said...

agree, agree and agree!!! My boys make all clothing articles into superhero capes, so that towel wrap should not ahve been surprising to me! And, I did have to coach them about talking on the telephone...except that now they think it's too complicated and so they'd rather not answer the phone at all!! :D

Kristi - Finding Ninee said...

Totally agree on all of them as well and think it's hilarious the way you depicted the phone conversation (in fact, I have been known to hand the phone to my little boy when it's an annoying sales person - that's actually really fun). And YES to number 10. Love it.

AnnMarie Gubenko said...

#6, #7 and #10, yes, yes yes! I love your Tuesday's Ten! I did a post today of things that I'm currently obsessed with. I wish I would have read this one first. It's a much better one and would have made me stop and think about all the things that I have taught them that I didn't know I would like how important it is to be on time or how to compromise so people aren't always doing what they want. Great post!

Lisa @ The Golden Spoons said...

I know, right?!?! What's with the towels???

Lisa @ The Golden Spoons said...

That's it - they seems so obvious, but I guess everyone has to learn them somewhere, somehow!

Lisa @ The Golden Spoons said...

Ha! My girls still want to answer the phone all the time. Sometime I'm just going to give them a telemarketer and let them talk as much as they can! :-)

Lisa @ The Golden Spoons said...

Thanks, Kristi! I actually have a very funny story about telemarketers that I have been trying to find time to write!

Lisa @ The Golden Spoons said...

Thank you AnnMarie!

shayjordan said...

Haha! I am excited for the "phone conversations" when my kids are older. The towel thing is totally now. I'm not quite sure how to tell my kids running around naked with a cape screaming "Rawwrrrrr," isn't going to be normal in a few years :)

MolleyMills said...

the phone one is funny! mine are just now learning to converse with grandparents...And the hair thing! I gave up and cut it short!
Thanks for hooking up to the Hump Day Hook Up

Dana said...

This is a great topic for a blog post. The talking on the phone drives me nuts, it's like pulling teeth to get the kid on the other end of the phone to tell me who they are and what they want. And don't worry - I was combing my daughter's curly hair for a long time, but now at almost 15, she wouldn't let me touch it with a ten foot pole. But given the amount of hair in the kids' bathroom with only one girl, I can't imagine how hairy your kids' is!

The Dose of Reality said...

Such a GREAT post...we have been working all of these things this summer...I have had to spend a lot of time teaching my 5 y.o. that just because the yogurt package says we can win a trip to Disney, does not mean we are *actually* going to win!! ;)-Ashley

Mercy Langille said...

Those are all things I'm working on teaching mine now. I'm teaching my 5 year old that he shouldn't ask embarrassing questions in public at high volume. Eek.

Michelle Nahom said...

I am still working on the phone thing with teenagers! Its crazy. But they are so used to communicating by text! My daughter is fine, but the boys never seem to ask if they can take a message or write anything down. Usually they all just ignore the phone. It's like a foreign object.

Stacey said...

I totally could have written this list too! My daughter will not brush her hair until I tell her three times to do it. My son thinks he never needs to brush his teeth. And every time my daughter calls her friend's house, I have to stand there and tell her, "Tell her mom WHO YOU ARE!" because it's just awkward silence from my daughter.

HomemakersDaily said...

I learned quickly that you should never assume anything. Never. Never. Never. The end result of making assumptions about what they know and understand will always get you in trouble. That was the case with my kids and it's the same with my grandkids. I explain everything in detail. That still isn't always enough but at least I gave it my best shot.

Visiting from SITS.

Jamie @ Roubinek Reality said...

This totally cracked me up!! We have 5 kids ages who span in ages from 1-14. Every single one of your points applies to at least one of our older 4. :) Great post! Visiting from SITS.

Melanie Davis said...

Are you sure we don't live in the same house! My kids do the same things! I am laughing too! I overheard my husband giving my daughter instructions tonight about how to dry off when getting out of the bathtub without getting water all over the floor. It seems she is okay with just getting out of the tub with the towel and running as fast as she can to her room. I suppose she figures that if she runs fast enough the water won't get on the floor :)


Melanie@getahoot.com


#SitsShareFest

Lisa @ The Golden Spoons said...

Ah, if only it were that easy, right? We'd all be at Disney!

Lisa @ The Golden Spoons said...

Ha! Well, my oldest is 11, so maybe in 4 more years she will be combing it all herself too!

Lisa @ The Golden Spoons said...

One of mine has short hair. The oldest, most difficult one, refuses to cut it (which of course make sit more difficult!)

Lisa @ The Golden Spoons said...

The phone conversations are a trip - especially when their friend leave a message on the machine!

Lisa @ The Golden Spoons said...

Oh yes, that's a good one too!

Lisa @ The Golden Spoons said...

Yes - I think the texting, etc. has a lot to do with their lack of actual communication skills.

Lisa @ The Golden Spoons said...

Thanks, Stacey!

Lisa @ The Golden Spoons said...

Thanks for visiting! I am definitely learning that details are a must!

Lisa @ The Golden Spoons said...

Thanks Jamie! So glad you visited!

AnnMarie Gubenko said...

The brushing the hair is a big one over here. Having Nico first it was never an issue but Belle, poor Belle. How she doesn't remember to brush or comb her hair is beyond me. Any glimpse in a mirror will show her that her hair looks like she combed it with a balloon. Brushing the teeth is a good one, too. Apparently, my kids don't make fresh breath a priority. Great list!

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...