Do you think you could do better??!!!

[mimi]

My 3 year old dcg who refuses to produce on the potty and whose training had to come to a halt due to big upsets at home showed her Dad a picture that she coloured and of course was very proud of it. Dad knelt down to look at the picture and said "do you think you can try to colour inside the lines instead of just scribbling? Next time try to do better?"
When he looked up at me he must have seen my disapproval. What the hell? I then made a positive statement about dcg talking about going on the potty with me. I tell him we have good little talks when she brings up the topic and I am glad and hopeful as it is a good sign she wants to talk about it.
I just get this stare like this is not to be discussed.

These parents adore this child, but are so hard on her with their expectations. No wonder she refuses to go on the potty.....it is the only thing she knows she can control.
I feel so sad for her as she is already a nervous little girl.

[Wonderwiper]

Ahh...that's so sad. She is only 3 yet already learning about " not being good enough". I think we, as parents, can encourage our children to do well and try their best without putting down their achievements.

[Reana]

Aww! That's too bad. Sadly, some parents do not realize some of their comments have a negative impact on their kids. Good for you, for being the force to be reckoned with! Praise goes a long way!

[Teagansmom]

Validation is so important! Parents often forget it takes 1 bad comment to erase 10 positive comments.

[Lee-Bee]

I was a student teacher in a jk class years back. I remember a barely 4yr old bringing their picture of a bear to the teacher. She looked at it, said bears are not green. She crumpled it up and gave him a new page. She said you can choose from brown, black or white those are colours of real bears.

I cringed. This poor child just lost any hope of being creative when older! Some people just suck with kids! They don`t mean too...but they just don`t get it.

[Secondtimearound]

Awwww!!!!!! Seriously !!! She will colour in the lines when she is a big girl and all those sweet baby scribbles will be gone !!!!
I can't stand that !!! I could always tell my sons art projects in kindergarten because the rest of the class would have brown and green trees and my sons was orange and yellow !! Lol for example !!

[Daisy123]

Some people just don't get it. I had my kids do a beautiful picture once for Father's Day. We used sand, tiny shells.. the works. Kids were so proud! Mom walks in, takes a look and says "that's not a present, that's a craft." I was honestly shocked! Mimi, I feel for that little girl of yours!

[mimi]

Yes, I felt that something in her spirit left after the put down. Every piece of art work is beautiful........eve n when the finger painting turns brown and grey from all the colours mixing.