Don’t Jump to Conclusions

 
 
Fun Toddler Activities Blog: Don't Jump to Conclusions
 
 

The incident in the pictures actually happened several months ago (E was 27 months old) but I keep getting reminded of it and the underlying parenting advice.

So, I wanted to try a little color scavenger hunt, set out several sheets of colored paper and told E that we would look for items to match the colors.

 Fun Toddler Activities Blog: Don't Jump to Conclusions 
 
Without hesitation, she got up, walked to the drawer with her art materials and started pulling out the roller paints. I was extremely close to saying something along the lines of “No, we’re not painting now, we’re looking for colored items!” but I didn’t.
 
I watched her as she came back over with an armful of paints, about to completely surprise me: She hadn’t been planning on painting at all! She was simply doing the activity in one of the most efficient ways imaginable.
 
 
Fun Toddler Activities Blog: Don't Jump to Conclusions
 
Fun Toddler Activities Blog: Don't Jump to Conclusions
 
{Afterwards, she asked for some scissors and went to work cutting up the paper but boy had she earned it 😉 }
 
Fun Toddler Activities Blog: Don't Jump to Conclusions
 

Just imagine how many wonderful ideas we might have interrupted by jumping to conclusions and making assumptions! Safety has to come first, of course, but beyond that, I try to give it a bit of time to see what E is actually up to before considering opening my mouth at the risk of ruining the moment.

Now, I’m definitely not perfect and still speak at times before I can stop myself. However, I’m consciously working at assuming she’ll do good, just maybe not the way I’d planned, rather than warning her off {and maybe even planting mischievous ideas in her head} before she even gets a chance to show me whatever it was she wanted to do.

If “everyone” assumes you’re up to no good, you may as well do whatever you want, right?

 

 

What do you think? How do you handle moments like these? Tell me in the comments!

 

 

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One Comment

  1. I LOVE this! Well done not stopping her before she was able to surprise you. I couldn’t agree with you more, although of course sometimes I am guilty of jumping in too soon.