As of late, we’ve been trying to let the kids to do more things on their own. They get dressed on their own, get their own drinks and forks, and help set the table. Neko has recently mastered scrambled eggs, which is good on all fronts, because I’m doing less work and everyone is eating more protein.
This is rather excruciating for someone with my personality, who really likes to see a job done right. Who stays up at all hours making sure things are just so. Who has an innate impulse to jump in and help out and sometimes commandeer a project.
This morning Shep wanted to help make muffins. Actually, that’s not true, he wanted to make the muffins all by himself. With no help. Pouring and mixing and putting batter into the pan. It wasn’t how I would do it, but he did a bang-up job for a five-year-old.
And there it is. The hardest thing I’ll do in parenting—letting them do it themselves, in their own way, and tucking their own accomplishments or failures under their belts. The hardest thing, but, clearly, one of the most important.