INDEPENDENCE TRIAL

Often we try to give the boys opportunities for independence.  

Some successes we have are both take turns going in the bank and handing my transaction requests to the teller.  Both take turns going into the barber for his haircut while I stay in the car with the other one.  Ben goes in the library to return and check out items I have placed on hold.  

It's excited to watch them be able to do these things without having someone right by them to guide and direct them.

However, sometimes our attempt at independence doesn't quite work.

This week at the beach, we told the boys to go ahead down the path to the beach while we unloaded the car in the parking lot.  

Ben made it the beach successfully.  Jonah was another story.  Let me explain.  

In the picture below, you can see there is ramp to the beach labeled #1.  There is also a bridge that leads to the beach labeled #2.   These are the choices for how to access beach from the path coming from the parking lot.  

When we came up the path behind the boys, we found Jonah stuck in the area labeled #3.  He was trying to get thru the brush, around the tree, and/or down the ledge to get to the beach.   He was asking for help to get out.  

Our obvious question to Jonah was "Why did you not take one of the two obvious choices to get to the beach?" His answer: he bumped his forehead and said, "Duh" and then giggled.

Independence: Not. Quite. There. Yet. 

But Jonah sure has a fun time trying!