My son exists in a world where having his hair brushed, or being presented with the wrong selection of snacks, or having his arms put through his sleeves are the worst things in the world to him. And that makes me incredibly glad. Not for his distresses of course, for those I sympathise (it must be difficult being a toddler) but it makes me glad because he is still so innocent and so beautifully self centered.
I know it sounds crazy but I just adore how he thinks the world revolves around him – and in our house it does. Infancy is a tiny pocket of the human life span where for just a moment, you are the center of everything and I think that it’s an important phase to have. In time our children learn about others, about empathy, about kindness and selflessness. They will learn how to share and negotiate and communicate their wants and needs in socially accepted ways. And that’s good. As we grow up we need to know these things, they are an integral part of existing in our culture.
But you have admire the toddler for their self expression and ability to just be. No pretenses, no motivation, they just are as they are. I love my son’s tantrums over trivial things as it shows me his innocence. His blindness to the harsh things in life.I love that he is silly and selfish and sassy. His spirit, no matter his mood continues to amaze me and even though the tears can be hard to deal with, I love knowing that the worst thing he will have to face today is having to wear sleeves.
One Whimsical Mama 