Parenting Thing 2

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Up until yesterday I never realized how dramatically my parenting style was defined by my firstborn.

Jake took Aedyn fishing yesterday morning so Jaron and I had the house all to ourselves for quite awhile. It was very different with just my younger guy and me. I remember tweeting many months ago, when Jake and Aedyn had gone out, about how I'd forgotten how to interact with just a baby instead of a baby and toddler at the same time. This was different.

This was interacting with just one toddler instead of two (although I guess now my second toddler is really a preschooler, eek!) And I realized how different Jaron is from Aedyn, how that is masked when Aedyn is around, and how much of what I consider "normal" is just normal for Aedyn.

I have no problem with teaching and disciplining each of them to their individual needs, but for some reason playing slipped under my radar.

For example, Aedyn likes attention (that may be the understatement of the year), but unless he wants you to have a lightsaber battle with him he doesn't want you to actually play with him. He wants to do it all himself and just let you watch.

Yesterday, Jaron and I went to his room to find toys. And to my delight and much sadness I realized that he wanted to play with me. And wanted me to play with him. How long have I been missing this and what else am I missing?

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