Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:DS is 8 and is just starting to want to do stuff like not wear a coat or wear shorts in colder weather. What I've always told him is that he has plenty of choices with other things in his life, but when it comes to his health and safety we are in charge and there are no negotiations about it. It's not about that he doesn't actually feel cold. He walked the dog with me last night and was almost crying because he was so cold wearing the jacket that he didn't want to put on this morning. It's for show and because that's what other kids are doing (because their parents allow it and just want to stop fighting the battle so they give in).
There are some battles worth fighting and and I'm not having a battle with my 8 year old about wearing a coat when it's 20 something degrees. There is no choice for him in that matter. If I allow it to be a choice for him now, what am I conditioning him for later when he thinks he can just wear me down if he complains enough about things that are much more important? I'm not setting that precedent as a parent. You do you, though.
Whoops, meant to post this on the other coat thread. Don't know why it double posted either. My point still stands though.
It's funny, this is pretty similar to my parenting philosophy too but I go in the entire opposite direction with it. I don't want to fight with my kid about every little thing, but when I say something, I mean it. So I choose my battles wisely. Coats isn't one of them that's worth it to me. I have never argued with her in the first place, so it's not something she "wore me down about" - it's something I've established with her is her choice.