I Can Do It!

Raising independent kids is super important to me. I work very hard to try to raise my children to be optimistic, empowered, problem-solving individuals who can fend for themselves in any situation, at any time.

Today my son got his own cereal and milk for breakfast. He gets his own bowls, plates, utensils and snacks, and can spread peanut butter & jelly on his sandwiches, but he’s never gotten his own milk & cereal before. This is probably something he could have done on his own many months ago or even years ago — if I had let him. But did I even think to? Nope. They are growing up so fast that sometimes I forget to check in and recognize all of these things that they could do on their own; they’re adding new tasks to their self-reliant repertoire it seems almost every day. It’s truly awesome to see happening.

This especially helps during the hectic morning routine. My 3-year-old can get her own clothes, change, brush her teeth, get her lunchbox and backpack, put her shoes on and strap herself into her carseat. My son can do all the same, plus make his bed, and now, I know, he can get the milk for his cereal on his own. I think I like this independence stuff

As part of the Pepperidge Farm Fishful Thinking program, there’s a great list of questions that I have asked myself over the past year to continue to instill independence in my own kids. I feel like I need to revisit these questions and ask them often, since my kids are growing at an insanely fast pace and the answers are always changing. I love that and hate that about watching their childhood unfold before my eyes. And yet, it is the greatest joy to hear them say “I can do it!” in reference to something they’ve never tried to do before… and then watch them do it, all on their own, just like they believe that they could. Then the smile that follows? The one that says “Look! I DID IT!” That makes mamahood worth it all, right there.