Milestones

So this past week Madeline hit some of those milestones that we as parents marvel in. The first to begin this past week was using a straw. Seems easy right? I mean how do you teach a child to do something you just knew how to do before you can remember? As a former teacher, it is easier to teach children things that you can explain yourself how to do them- Instead, I have to think....How do I teach her to put her lips around the straw, not tip the cup, suck, and then swallow? Months ago I tried this thinking.. It can't be too bad. She will just learn from watching me. So that is exactly what I did. I sat in front of her and overemphasized sucking with a straw and it got me no where except for her to just giggle at my silly overdone sucking motions in my face. All this effort and I looked like a complete moron. But, on the positive side I got her to laugh and that is always helpful to the lungs as M's Dr at Hopkins always says:Laughter helps us all feel better mentally and physically. So that day gave M some good laughter medicine and me a test in the "moron department." I gave up and decided that I was not the best "straw teacher" and she was just not ready. Now, fast forward to Wednesday of this past week. I was having a conversation over lunch with mom when she suggested that I start showing Madeline different cups to take her pediasure in. I raced home to "stare" at the these fancy kiddo cups with straws that I had bought when I first tried to teach M the how sucking deal. I still felt defeated. I had no knew ideas UNTIL the person who answers ALL my unknown questions came along to save the day! You guessed it- google. com. I seriously needed to type in " How to teach a toddler to drink from a straw". (I am almost ashamed at my teaching ability in having to google this. I mean shouldn't all teachers be able to dumb this down without googling it?! I felt as though my teacher skills were fading since I quit my job after 10 years of teaching to be a stay at home mom for Madeline this January. ) I sucked up by pride and read the directions carefully. There were 6 steps and really I giggled to myself as I read them because the only thing I kept thinking is: This is not going to work and why on earth am I even considering this. Who puts steps in order like this to show idiots like me how to teach their children to drink from a straw? Not to mention, who even reads or googles this stuff anyhow? Of COURSE it won't work! The steps went something like this: 1. Place the straw in the cup with the liquid. (duh!) 2. Cover the top of the straw with your finger (which should keep the liquid in the straw when you pull the straw out of the cup). 3. Hold the straw at a slight angle and place it near their mouth 4. Release your finger from the top of the straw as your child closes their lips around it. This will make the liquid go into their mouth. 5. Repeat this process again if needed to make sure your child got the liquid. 6. Put the straw back into the cup. Place the straw on their lips and tell them to take a sip. Your child should be ready to drink from a straw! So, the best part was TELL THEM TO TAKE A SIP. My child is only 16 months. Does she understand what I am saying?? Suddenly they will be ready to take a sip after you squirted water in their mouth in steps 1-4. If the water misses, then repeat again? Seriously? I was laughing out loud at this point. I think step 6 really made me understand that this was just. plain. pathetic. And here I was ....going to do steps 1-6 just so I could again make a fool of myself and post to the ehow.com site how ridiculous this all was.
I did steps #1-4 and repeated them a few times...just to make sure I followed ALL the directions. Even though I just knew...it WOULD WORK?! I gave her the cup with the straw (using step #6 to clarify and...)and she just formed her lips around it and starting sucking. Wow. This was such a crazy feeling. It worked. It really worked. I guess I really did need step by step directions to teach M how to drink from a straw. I screamed. I clapped. I jumped up and down. Meanwhile, Madeline just sucked and drained that water in the cup. I almost got a look like " Mom, what is your deal?"So to make it short, ehow.com earned my full confidence. I gained my own confidence from being successful (even if I just read the directions) and finally not to mention- Madeline did it! And honestly, in the end that is all that really matters. Cause' that day was really just a mission to watch my little girl do something more to totally amaze me and show how fast she is really growing up. Cheers to straws, a super smart little girl, and a mom that will never forget this special day.