Miss Independent

Big Sister has been becoming increasingly independent lately.  We've had a few power struggles lately, and John and I have been working hard to find good ways for her to demonstrate her independence.  She now dries herself off, dresses herself and brushes her hair after a bath.  She helps put away groceries.  She helps set the table before dinner.  She likes to get everything out for Little Bud's diaper changes (although she runs for the hills during the actual process!).  We got her an electric toothbrush so that she can brush her own teeth after breakfast and lunch (we still brush them at night).  Having a few responsibilities around the house seems to be helping her to feel more independent.  She is proud of herself when she completes a task, and you can see her confidence grow when we congratulate her and give her a high five.  I'm learning that parenting is all about balance, creativity and choosing your battles...

This morning Big Sister got dressed, brushed her hair, and then...
"fixed her hair", with little clips in odd places that don't match her clothes.
She was so excited about how nice her hair looked, that I decided to let her keep them in,
even though we're running a few errands this morning.