Sunday, June 25, 2006
Learning Guilt
Matthew has been learning two new things lately: snatching snack foods when we're not around, and feeling guilt about it. Mostly, he takes the snacks on mornings that he gets up earlier than either of us. Until very recently, he would come up to our bedroom to ask if he could have, say, a granola bar, before he actually went to get one. Lately, I go down in the mornings and often find a pile of wrappers for whatever the taste of the day is. One morning, it was a half-dozen empty plastic tubes from the colored popsicles he likes now.
The other day, I came down before leaving for work, and knew he was up from the noises he had made, but couldn't find him in his usual spot on the couch. I looked around, and saw that the door to the second bedroom was closed, which is not normal. Coming closer, I could hear a little voice in there. I opened the door to find Matt sitting on the bed, one hand in a bag of Cheetos, talking to himself. When the door opened, he froze. A moment later, he stammered, "Oh, oh, oh! I'm not eating any more Cheetos!" As though trying to make me believe he had decided to stop eating them moments before I came in!
He also tends to spend time that is supposed to be the start of his nap, playing in the bedroom. If he is not tired enough to get to sleep quickly, he will start looking at books or doing other quiet activities. A few days ago, Mary looked in on him, only to find him across the room playing with some toys. The moment he spotted her, he said "Oh!" H then dashed across the room and threw himself on his bed, as though going fast enough would make her forget he had been out of his bed!
He definitely knows some of what he is supposed to do and not do, but it is not yet enough to deter him. It's cute to watch him think he won't get caught and the look on his face when he does. He is changing daily right now, sometimes for the good, sometimes not, but always interesting!
John
The other day, I came down before leaving for work, and knew he was up from the noises he had made, but couldn't find him in his usual spot on the couch. I looked around, and saw that the door to the second bedroom was closed, which is not normal. Coming closer, I could hear a little voice in there. I opened the door to find Matt sitting on the bed, one hand in a bag of Cheetos, talking to himself. When the door opened, he froze. A moment later, he stammered, "Oh, oh, oh! I'm not eating any more Cheetos!" As though trying to make me believe he had decided to stop eating them moments before I came in!
He also tends to spend time that is supposed to be the start of his nap, playing in the bedroom. If he is not tired enough to get to sleep quickly, he will start looking at books or doing other quiet activities. A few days ago, Mary looked in on him, only to find him across the room playing with some toys. The moment he spotted her, he said "Oh!" H then dashed across the room and threw himself on his bed, as though going fast enough would make her forget he had been out of his bed!
He definitely knows some of what he is supposed to do and not do, but it is not yet enough to deter him. It's cute to watch him think he won't get caught and the look on his face when he does. He is changing daily right now, sometimes for the good, sometimes not, but always interesting!
John
