‘Mommy I Know…’ by Dina Ramon

My daughter and I are currently in a phase where I seem to annoy her a lot by giving what I believe are simple reminders but which to her are needless nagging about things that she insists she already knows how to do. She always responds with an overly dramatic, ‘Mommy, I Knooooooow.’ That is her reprimand of me. But I just keep doing it. Is it just habit on my part? Am I being too controlling? Overprotective? I admit that sometimes after I’ve asked her for example, if she washed her hands that maybe I ask or remind about the same things a little too often. But to me these reminders just come out… I can’t seem to help myself. It’s a daily occurrence; ‘Stay to the right on the bike path,’ ‘look where you are going,’ ‘buckle yourself in,’ ‘don’t cross until the light turns,’… and those are just a few examples. When I announce these reminders – probably in a slightly bossier way then she prefers – her standard response is to roll her eyes, answer in a whiney tone of voice, and sometimes give me a bit of a sassy attitude. She makes it clear that she feels I am patronizing her; of course she doesn’t even know what that word means (at least I don’t think she does) but that is clearly the vibe that I get from her. Am I so wrong? This is what moms are supposed to do right? I don’t think we ever stop doing that. My own mother still tells me to be careful when I go out for a run, or take a trip. That is how we maintain some control of our children, in our own minds perhaps, even when they are able to navigate the world on their own; or are on their way to learning that and testing their own abilities. It’s innate and something we should be proud of. So I may try to hold my tongue on occasion but I think it’s better to just let out what comes naturally.

Tags: daughter, daughter attitude, habit, mom habits, reminders, safety