Dear Readers,

I think I am pretty good at this and then something comes along to show me I still have a lot to learn.

In this case, it was my four year old.

Until yesterday, I thought she needed my help to reach the faucet or soap or towel.

Nope. I turned away to put her toothbrush back on its spot and by the time I had turned back she had the faucet on, soap on hands, was counting (1-20). Shocked by what I was seeing, I decided to see what else she could do on her own. She just kept on washing, (checking for that elusive bubble that sometimes appears between your two thumbs just like Mommy showed her) and drying her hands. I decided to continue to watch her instead of assuming she needed my help, she walked to the dinner table, got her spoon, and her yogurt, and let the dog out. My goodness, she’s practically a grown up.

Okay, not really, but you get the point, right?

I was NOT meeting her where she was, I was still “helping” when she is totally capable of doing some things by herself.

It’s just a little hard to think of the little girl in the picture below

as this strong, smart, and capable girl who is growing up before my eyes.

It’s a great reminder of the very first time my mother of choice, handed me something to do, she didn’t offer to help me, she didn’t ask me if I knew how to do it, she just handed me a project to do and let me “handle” it.

How much better off would all of us be if we waited for someone to ask for help, instead of assuming they need it or want it?

Think About It.