It's an obvious principle, but I keep forgetting that children don't just learn things on their own. I'm realizing that I can't just tell the boys to go clean their room, hoping that I can put some laundry away at the same time. I can't tell my 3-year old to go play with his friend and expect them to get along while I was the dishes.
I have to be present. I need to be there with them, supervising and helping pick up. I need be there with my 3-year old helping him learn how to play with his friend in a way that doesn't end up with them hitting or throwing anything. Even if I've shown them these things several times before. I can't just think that they're going to follow through.
They need to see it. I need to continually model it. And, the hope is, that in time they'll be able to do it on there own (and I can get the dishes and the laundry done--of course, who knows what our life situation will be by that point). But for right now, the relationship part of the task trumps the other tasks I have to do (well, some of them at least).
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