I am not a person that thrives on routine and organization. I was the student who would regularly start tests at the end and work backwards – just to switch it up. I’m always trying to find a new order to complete household tasks…and my organization skills? Let’s just say I function under the “organized chaos” principle. I know what is going on, but I have this “cloud” of clutter that surrounds it, so it doesn’t necessarily look organized.
My daughter however, thrives on routine. I know some of this is due to her age and wanting have that consistency in her world, but some of it? Personality. Whatever it is…doesn’t change the fact that it is downright frustrating when you happen to put her bib on BEFORE she pulls her sleeves up and she dissolves into a cloud of tears, stating (emphatically)…”NO Mommy, sleeves down FIRST…then bib.” I feel like I sometimes spend whole days consoling her for such important things such as using the wrong soap, brushing our teeth after breakfast, and reading one book instead of two at naptime (more on that later).
So even though I sometimes worry about being adaptable…(and we’re working on it)…I also figured out that if I tell her what the “plan” is going to be, even if it is different than usual, she is typically fine with it, because she knows the changes ahead of time. And I am learning that just because she may want something to be different than I would choose things to be…doesn’t necessarily mean it is wrong. She needs to be her own person, and if that means wanting things in an orderly way…I have to be okay with it (as long as it doesn’t include disobedience or harmful behavior).
It’s kind of an interesting thought…
