Love and logic parenting isn't easy. It takes such a change in how I phrase my words and how I react to problems. Sometimes it comes naturally -- like trying to encourage Christopher to tie his own shoes He can do it, and has been practicing this skill but doesn't like to. Why not if he can get his mom to bend down and tie his shoes for him? It's a great deal if he can get mom to do it for him. I would unhappily tie his shoes at least half the time, just to get out of the house. Now I just don't care if his shoes are tied and pray he doesn't trip. It has caused him to tie his shoes by himself more often.

Other habits are more difficult to break. It was easier for me to be uncaring about whether Christopher was ready to go to school in the morning when I was running the morning carpool at the beginning of the week -- I just go whether he's ready or not. One morning, he mucked around and didn't have time to brush his hair, so he was looking pretty goofy and was unhappy about it. He solved his own problem by picking up a snowball and rubbing it through his hair to try to get the hair to stay down. Good effort. It's harder when I know the carpool will be at our house -- I don't want to keep the other carpool mom waiting in the cold driveway. I know it shouldn't matter -- the philosophy remains the same, but I've found it harder to not try to "make" Christopher be ready by pushing him to brush his teeth or finish his breakfast knowing somebody will be there to pick him up. I just don't want to cause delays for the other carpool family.

In other news, I helped lead the Tiger Scouts on a trip to the news station yesterday. They got to watch the 5:00 news live in the studio and recorded an opening for the weather man that aired at 6:00 and 10:00. He was thrilled for his first TV close up. Me? I was just exhausted after chaperoning 12 tiger and wolf cubs (only 4 parents -- a little too high of a child/adult ratio), plus dragging Cate along.