Pick your battles!!!

"Pick your battles huh?" easier said than done. I'm sure many mothers would share my view. My 18 month old is currently in this phase of "Exerting Independence" and it is driving me nuts!!! He says "No" to almost everything... even to things that he wants. Sometimes, a conversation would go like this.
"Mama water"
I get down on my knees, "You want to drink water?"
"No"
"You touched water?"
"No No"
"You want to play with water?"
"No"
"You want to take a bath?"
"No"
"Your clothes are wet with water?"
"No"
"So, show me where is the water"
"No"
"Okay, here you go take your sippy cup"
"No"
I leave the sippy cup on the floor and move on and he says, "Mama water" again!!!
Sometimes it is plain frustrating.... Thanks to my early childhood classes that I calm down and decide if it a battle I want to fight...

Of course, a toddler drinking out of the toilet or running across the driveway (yes, he does both!!!) are absolute nos... and those are the battles worth fighting for sure. But when he says no to milk, water, nap time, bedtime, brushing teeth, or wearing shoes, how do I know if I should start a battle?

I use the technique I learned in my Guidance and Discipline class. I ask myself three questions before I decide..

• Is it life threatening?
• Is it morally threatening?
• Is it  extremely unhealthy?

If the answer to any of these three questions is "YES", I battle it.. else I try not to.. As I said in the beginning, it is easier said than done... However, I make a conscious effort... After all, practice makes us prefect. Doesn't it?

Renuka Sivarajan