# 0006: Inconsistencies

"They" always tell you to, "be consistent! You have to be consistent in your disciplining!" I know that is true. However, if something is consistently not working, you are the parent. You get to change your disciplinary measures the very next day if you deem it necessary. It's not like a school or other public institution that has to maintain a standard for every boy and girl no matter what.
Today, however, I'm thinking about the inconsistencies that go on in my own head. 
For some lazy reason I sat and watched my nearly 2 year old son head up stairs, alone, with an uncapped ink pen. It wasn't long before his sister came down and reported that he had drawn on the wall. I was not surprised. Why would I have given him that pen? 
The same thing happened a few years back with his sister. I had left an ink pen out on the table. I'm not sure how long it took me to notice her undeniable handiwork on my lamp shade. 

In both of these incidents I had enabled these children. Of course, we only draw in paper, but they are little people, brand new to the world. How are they to really comprehend why it matters to only draw on pieces of paper? And if there's no paper out, what makes an appropriate substitute? I truely don't believe they know, yet. However, it is our job to teach them- otherwise they would never know.
In both of these cases, I was lazy and then I was extremely irritated at the mess I would have to clean up  because of my own laziness. Still, I would have to get on to the little artists in some way to let them know that we only draw on paper and nothing else! The trouble is that, also in both instances I was really impressed with their art work. The girl (who was older than the boy at the time) had drawn penguins all over the lampshade. The boy had drawn very well, some very straight up and down lines on his wall.
I was torn in both instances on what to do. I really wanted to tell them what a great job they did, but I knew this was not the time, so they got scolded instead.
My mind finds this to be so inconsistent. How can I be proud and mad at the same time? I guess that's one thing I love about being a mom- it's complicated. Every day can be complicated, but I'm the one who takes these complications and gets to figure out what to do with them. Some may see it as cut and dry (the kid drew on the wall. C'mon, it's a no brainer), but I love to take the time to put myself in that little head and wonder how he/ she sees it. They always see the world totally differently than big people. No, I don't always take the time to do that, but it's fun when I do. I should do it more often! 
I'm the one that makes the decision to scold, punish, but more importantly teach them how to act with a ready and available ink pen. I'm also the one that gets to give them a hug and kiss, then sit down with them and a clean sheet of paper to draw to our heart's content.