RAISING INDEPENDENT CHILDREN ...

I have a son E who is 6 and a son N who is 5 years old. I have longed for them to be independent. They can now dress themselves, go potty by themselves, eat by themselves, pick up their toys. I also try to encourage them to think for themselves. Haven't you all said to your kids, "Just because Johnny wants to jump off a bridge doesn't mean you have to." (I sound just like my mother, oh my!).

Yesterday, while my son N and I were waiting for E to get out of school, N asked me this question. "Mom, why are you named Sophia?" I answered that I am named after my father's mother. (Being Greek, this is a tradition). I proceeded to tell him that my sister, Pauline, was named after my mother's mother and my brother, George, was named after my father's father.

He then said "Oh I get it! I am named after your dad and E is named after dad's dad." 'Yes, N, that is correct. " (I was really excited that he was getting this.) He then said, "When I have a son I will name him Dimitri, after dad." Silence. He walked away.

I then said to him, "N what will you name your daughter?" He looked at me with no expression at all and said, "Rose". Off he went to play.

You got to love it - Independence!!!!