Fun Friday: Are You A Sucker?

Clearly, this guy is old enough to dress himself. That doesn’t mean I have to let him, right?

The Husband has been home this week due to the whole pesky unemployed thing. This is of course awful because of the conditions that brought it about, but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit it’s also fantastic to have an extra set of hands around. Especially when said hands are enthusiastic about anything that makes them feel useful. He’s quite the lunch-maker and dinner-dish-doer. I’ll be mighty spoiled when all this is over.

In the mornings, he has taken to waking up the ninos and I come down just in time for breakfast. The Littlest has been dressed and ready, merely asking for help with his socks, every day. It seems dad does not offer help with getting dressed and miraculously, The Baby has not needed any help. Hmmm…

Here is how school mornings have looked up until this point:

• I physically drag The Baby from his sheets.
• I cradle him like an infant in my lap for a few minutes.
• He keeps his eyes closed while I take off his pajamas-usually still lying in my lap.
• He stands, much like  rag-doll (eyes still closed) while I put on his shirt.
• He steps into his pants as I hold them up for him. Then  he finally opens his eyes and zips his zipper.
• I put on his socks.
• He puts on his shoes by shoving his feet into them (God forbid he undo the velcro).

You can imagine my surprise when this week dad had no such scenario play out.

This morning, The Husband left early for an interview (fingers crossed, people!) so I was on wake up duty again. The Baby of course made no motion to help himself when he realized I was in the room. I started to lecture-“When Dad was here, blah, blah, blah”. Then I stopped myself and pulled him from his covers into my lap where we snuggled for a few minutes, like always, before beginning our clothing ritual.

Was I being suckered? Absolutely. Have I actually known it all along? You betcha. I mean, how did I think he was dressing himself on weekends? I’ve known he is capable for a while, but I haven’t pushed it, because for how much longer is he going to let me snuggle him in bed? His older brother kicks me out of the room to get dressed in private and he’s only two years ahead.

I know he can do more for himself than I let him, but I know he’s going to want to do it all alone quite soon enough.

Here’s my question: If you know you’re a sucker, does that make you less of a sucker?

I sure hope so, because suckered, I have been and  I don’t plan to stop until they make me.