There is a never ending stream of interesting stuff coming out of Wyatt's mouth lately.
Things like, "Mom, I have wakkles for brefest?" or "See, I told you it do that!"
But the most annoying thing he has begun saying as of late is "I CAN'T!" This is his go to response for anything and everything he doesn't want to do.
"Come over here now!"
"I CAN'T!"
It's also his response to things he doesn't want to try, and that's what really gets me. I don't want a kid who refuses to try new things. I have heard him say this when asked to try peddling his new trike, when asked to taste a new food, when asked to help me draw a circle...it makes me crazy!
All my life I have been afraid to try new things. I hate to try new things. Routine is my most favorite thing ever and I don't particularly like to deviate from the things I know I enjoy. But I came to a realization some time towards the end of college; I can't live like this! My last year of college was extremely hard; I broke up with the man (boy) I thought I was going to marry, and all the sudden I didn't have a plan anymore, I was uncomfortable!
Having a plan all your life is kind of like having a routine, you know what to expect, you know where each day is going. My plan up until that point was as follows: graduate high school, go to college, fall in love, graduate college, get married, have babies, live happily ever after.
Yeah I know, the plan had a few flaws.
So when a crucial part of the plan fell through, I was a little lost in a sea of new things I wasn't real excited to try.
But I did anyway.
I had managed to make it through high school by following the sage words of some unknown genius; FAKE IT TILL YOU MAKE IT. I faked my way to confidence. Those words helped me get through that dark scary sea of trying new things too. I forced myself to try everything, to reach out to people I wouldn't normally talk to, to smile when I didn't feel happy.
Guess what, now I LOVE to try new things.
Eating raw fish wrapped in sea weed? Done, now one of my favorite foods
Flying to Seattle to meet a friend who previously I had only spoken to on the phone? Done, I love her like a sister.
Moving to a state where I know almost no one and don't have a single real friend? Done, I hated it and moved home but I tried it.
Buying a new car 100% alone? Done, I love my car and am working hard to pay it off.
Raising a little boy on my own? Still a work in progress, but I'm a little closer to "making it" every day.
At this point, I am ready for any adventure life throws my direction. More than just ready though, I am eagerly awaiting those new adventures. I cannot wait to try the things that I'm most afraid of.
That is what I want for Wyatt. I don't want him to learn to love new things when he's 20! I want him to learn to love new things now, so that he can enjoy everything life has in store for him. I don't want him to miss out on anything.
So there is nothing more irritating than when he decides that he can't do something before he even tries it.
"I CAN'T" is getting outlawed at our house. We will find more appropriate choices.
"I don't want to right now"
"I would prefer to eat something else"
"I'm not in the mood"
"Maybe next time"
We will instead discover together, try new things together. Sometimes all you need is to know that someone is by your side willing to pick you up when trying something new doesn't quite work out the way you thought it would. And when he's old enough, he will be able to go out and explore the world on his own, knowing that I will always be home to kiss his boo boo's and tell him some good stories about my own adventures.
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