I’m always surprised by how much my daughters (ages 7 and 5) teach me about communication. In our house, we have come up with a system for getting ready in the morning. They take a shower; then stand on the mat in front of the shower where I detangle their hair; then they move to the sink where they brush their teeth; next they get dressed (their clothes are neatly placed on the ledge of the tub); and then they sit at the vanity where I blow dry their hair.
The learning for me occurred during the hair detangling stage. I feel it’s sufficient for them to be wrapped in a towel during this part of the rotation. But they want to wear their bathrobes. I believe that I can have their hair detangled in the time it takes them to put on their bathrobes. Plus, they’re only going to wear the robe for barely 5 minutes, so why bother?
They like their robes. They like how the robes feel against their skin. They like seeing themselves in these robes in the bathroom mirror.
I’ve noticed that it doesn’t save me any time to keep them from their robes. They move slower from station to station, and then meander down the stairs to put on their coats and backpacks. But when they wear their robes, even for a few minutes, they are happier and more cooperative.
So, I ask you, are you getting less cooperation in your life because you are keeping someone from his or her robe?
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