October 23, 2001 - Tuesday
Yesterday's episode with the block is far from the only time we've realized that we're scolding Harry for something we once encouraged. There are other rapidly growing problems with throwing, not only blocks, but Megabloks and pieces of train tracks. And, while I can see to explain that those types of objects aren't for throwing, it's a lot harder to teach Harry the difference between hard plastic and soft plastic balls and which is appropriate in the house when before we've been so excited about Harry throwing in the past. What's more, Harry has just discovered this wild side-arm flinging motion for whipping rocks and has started to use that with the hard plastic balls inside the house with little control of direction.

For months I've also been letting Harry effectively punch me in the stomach and laughing about it. He's not really punching or hitting, just pounding in a playful way that is, I suspect to him, not much different than when I tickle him. Unfortunately, his mother likes it much less when Harry hits, especially when he hits her belly or her face. Being Harry's parent has seemed, relative to anecdote of others, pretty straightforward so far, but these types of circumstances make it clear that the decisions we make as parents are necessarily overt ones. Indeed, I suspect Harry learns more from us when we're not trying to "teach" him than when we are.


Comments, opinions?