2/3 year olds are not robots...

Hear me out.

All of us who are parents have the perfect vision of what a ‘perfect’ child is like. And when our children don’t align to that vision, we are deeply disappointed.

When my son was born, I had visions of a little boy who would grow up to be very calm, very mellow, very obedient and compliant, very quiet and very enthusiastic about all of his learning. My son was definitely never calm, he definitely was never mellow, he’s never been one to obey me or to comply and he isn’t always very enthusiastic about his learning!

There is nothing wrong with him! He is exactly who is supposed to be. My beautiful son.

I wouldn’t change him. Not one bit.

He is highly energetic, he is hilarious, he doesn’t stop for one moment. He is very opinionated and will tell me that I’m wrong many times! I love this - by the way.

He has had his own bespoke curriculum since he was 17 months old and let me tell you that there have been countless times where I’ve set out all of his learning and he’s wanted to do only one thing.

Construction.

You see, that’s what he has always loved. Anything to do with building - that’s him all over.

But I persevered. I stuck to my process I trusted in my process. I trust in it deeply you see. Because I know that it works!

But hear me when I tell you this.

2/3 year olds are not robots (this applies to all ages fyi) but I’m talking about 2/3 year olds right now.

Children should not be ‘expected to sit still’. It’s just not natural for a 2/3 year old to sit still for prolonged periods of time.

Children should not be ‘expected to do exactly what you want them to do when you want them to do it’.

Children should not ‘want to always want to do the learning that you have prepared for them.’

Children will have their own ideas about what they want to do!

And I’m here to build a love for learning that will go on and on for years to come. I am not here to force anyone to do learning.

Children need to want to do learning. It must be intrinsic.

So remember, your child is not a robot. Let your child be who they are. Let your child tell you ‘no’. It’s all ok. It takes time. It takes effort. And above all else it takes trust. Deep trust that everything you are doing for your child will pay off dividends in the future.