I want I want I want

Julia's 4.

Right now, just about every sentence she speaks starts with "I wish..." or "I want..." When we respond, her retort back to us is always "I know!! I'm just saying that I wish/want..."

"I know!"
Yep, she's 4 and she already knows everything. What's it going to be like when she's 14?

Today when we were at my favorite place in the whole world (not), Walmart, Julia was going on and on about what she wants and wishes she could have.

Finally, it dawned on me... She just needed alternative! She was stuck in a rut, had developed a bad habit, and didn't know how to get out of it despite husby and I telling her repeatedly "Stop with the 'I wants!'"

So, I kindly (ahem) suggested that her next sentence to me start with "I'm happy that....." I kindly (ahem) told her not to talk to me at all again tonight unless what she was going to say started with "I'm happy that....."

And the stuff that came out of her thoughts? It was full of pure love!

See, I'd expected her to be all consumed in her desires and wants and "needs" that I thought for sure she'd say something like "I'm happy that someday maybe i can have that (toy/shirt/thing)."

Sure, the first few things she said started with "I want..." but I reminded her subtly (by stomping my foot like a 2 year old and shaking my head violently) that I'm not gonna listen to her because her sentence didn't begin correctly.... I had to remind her a few (like a few dozen times) that I wanted her to say something that begins with "I'm happy that..."

But, she caught on soon enough. And she was saying things like:

• I'm happy that I have a home.
• I'm happy that we have clothes.
• I'm happy that we have food to eat.
• I'm happy that we have shoes.
• I'm happy that we are at Walmart and have money to buy some things.
• I'm happy because I have you.
  

Seriously! She said that! By her own will, too! Those are the things on my little girls heart, when I really dig past all the utterances and thoughts that come out of her mouth before she really gets thinking.

I'm just so happy that the suggestion worked, and I hope we remember to stick with it. It's good practice for me and husby, too. It's good practice for anybody, really. Remember what you have, be thankful for what you have, and enjoy the freedoms that come with being so blessed. I love being a mom. I learn so much every single day. <3