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April 7, 2008
Copycat
Jamie is such a lemming. I really want her to be an individual, express herself in her own way, but I think her early years of being parented by a control freak worked way too well.
Aside from demanding skirts or tights a lot, and telling me I'm wrong about the weather, she wants my input when she's getting dressed each day. I prefer to help on weekdays, so I know she'll be appropriately attired for preschool, but on the weekends I tell her to choose for herself. (I guide with "pants and long sleeves" or whatever so it's temperature appropriate.) Often, she'll still ask "what goes with a pink shirt," or something to that effect. Here I try to give her an opportunity to make decisions, and she tosses it back to me.
Today, we had the girls make birthday cards for their cousins. Rex wrote out the words for them, and they were supposed to copy them and then make pictures on the blank sides of the cards. Jamie did a good job writing out the whole sentence, Katie, of course needed some help. She ran out of room before they could write the names, so Rex helped her write K2.
When Jamie finished her card, I had her bring it to me so I could see her picture. She had gone back and added 2's into her sentence (and not where they made sense.) I asked her why, and she started in with this long explanation that involved something about the twins and next year and then just petered off into nothing. I asked her if she did it because Daddy and Katie did, and after a wee bit of prodding, she finally answered yes.
I expect the monkey-see-monkey-do thing from her younger sister, but I keep hoping Jamie will step up and show some individuality, instead of always looking to others for her personality. I'm afraid that when she gets to school, she's going to be so easily led to do the wrong thing by peer pressure. How can I strengthen her uniqueness and personality to hold up to public school?
Posted by me at April 7, 2008 9:38 PM
Comments
Wow Katie writes really well! I dont think Loren could write those letters.
Posted by: Bec at April 7, 2008 10:33 PM
Well, she had some help. Although I just had her sign her name, and she did the whole thing in almost readable letters, except fot the "k".
Posted by: Becky 
at April 8, 2008 10:31 AM