Tuesday, June 02, 2009

NY Times Article on Kids

Dan forwarded me an article from the NY Times called The Way We Live Now-Let the Kid Be. Let me tell you, it got me thinking. I'm a worry wort by nature. I worry about the simplest things even if there's no need for any concern on my part. I've toned it down over the years, but with Will around, it's creeping back up. I worry about his feelings. I don't want to see him get hurt, which is really part of life. I worry about me not educating him enough. I really worry about that one. I try not to do this, but sometimes I compare where each child is at to Will. I know, this is utterly ridiculous. He's a smart little boy. He's learning new words every single day. If I took the time and wrote down every single word he utters, it would probably be at least 100 words (personally, I think it's more). Besides talking up a storm, he knows how to tell us what he needs.

The worry wort in me obsesses with wanting to sign him up in every single class possible to ensure that he's well rounded. I get upset when I work nights now because I'm not around him and worry that he'll be scarred emotionally by this. I make sure that on the mornings I'm off or on any day off that I'm out and about with him (especially now that the weather is nicer). I want to buy him every single educational toy there is out there. He needs to be learning.

The point is that this is not healthy for any of us. He's fine and I need to accept that. I will still take him out because that's me, but I need to relax on all the other stuff. I need to be my own person, too. My free time is very limited and I just want to be able to sit down for half an hour and not have to worry about anything. I want to be myself. I think Will would want the same for me. The article is great and I suggest you take the time to read it.

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