Too Young?

by Tara Posted 2009/12/10 01:54:21

7 votes
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	Yes it is too young (Please explain why you say Yes)	2 votes	29%
	No not too young at all (Please explain why you say No)	4 votes	57%
	Other (Please describe)	1 vote	14%

I was watching a Nanny show yesterday on TV and was a little irritated at the Nanny. She was supposed to go into this families house and help them get their kids under control. Anyway, the Nanny starts in on the Mom, because she helps her 4 year old's get dressed and make their beds. Stating that the 4 year old's should get themselves dressed with no help and make their beds with no help.

The whole time I am thinking, but they are 4!

Am I crazy or is 4 a little young to demand that they do all this stuff alone with no help? By 4 my kids were mostly dressing themselves, with the occasional shirt on backwards/insideout and I would help them fix it and their shoes. But, I helped my kids clean their room and make their beds until they were about 7 or 8 and I am not talking about just spreading the sheet and blanket out after sleeping on it, this Nanny was having them make it completely, fitted sheet, then flat, then blanket.

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JBousaid 2010/01/08 21:53:27

Yes it is too young (Please explain why you say Yes)

you realistically can't expect that much from a 4 yr old, you instruct them to do little things like put their toys away or put their clothes in the dirty clothes pile.

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Silas 2009/12/10 16:02:00

Yes it is too young (Please explain why you say Yes)

That Nanny is out of her mind. Four is way young. Teaching them to help make the bed and getting dressed is correct to assume but by themselves. That's asking a lot of a little kid. Once they are old enough for Kindergarten it would be correct to assume that they can dress themselves but 4 is very young still.

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TashnaBakninh08 2009/12/10 02:31:50

Other (Please describe)

Depends on the child really. my cousin is 2 and he dresses himself and i have others who are 4 and dont.

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Sick Boy 2009/12/10 02:27:34

No not too young at all (Please explain why you say No)

+1
I did all of that at 4 & more.

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taravati 2009/12/10 02:23:46

No not too young at all (Please explain why you say No)

+1
I dressed myself and made my bed before I was 4, I don't even think mom picked out my clothes. I do remember a couple of times where I had my shirt backwards or something but no biggie.
I don't see what could be considered wrong to teach children self-discipline and respect. My nephew used to pick up his own diapers and put them in a diaper pail because he wanted to! He was barely walking and it was so cute, his momma wouldn't say a thing, he would just get up and toddle it over.

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Tara to taravati 2009/12/10 09:27:50

No, I don't think it is wrong to teach them to do these things at all. I just thought that by 4 they were still too young to demand they be expected to know how to do it with no help at all. Even at 4 I think kids still need help and guidance and was just wondering what everyone else thought

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taravati to Tara 2009/12/10 14:44:46

Oh, I misunderstood the question, I apologize. :)
I think the positive reinforcement of checking it and telling them "good job" or giving suggestions for improvement; I think the key is to let them do it. :D

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Tara to taravati 2009/12/10 20:15:10

*Oh, I misunderstood the question, I apologize. :) *

No need to apologize. It happens :)

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..tisha... 2009/12/10 01:59:35

No not too young at all (Please explain why you say No)

My mother had me cleaning up my room and dressing myself before I even started kindergarten (Of course she picked out the clothes). I remember that clearly, my mother was very assertive on keeping us behaved. With my sister now having 2 kids, she's realized just how hard it is to keep two children disciplined- and disciplined properly.

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♫♥♫♥♫LEXY♫♥♫♥♫ 2009/12/10 01:57:39

No not too young at all (Please explain why you say No)

If you teach kids at a young age to do things for themselves then they grow to be independent later in life. I have a cousin who is 10 and he still doesn't know how to tie his shoe laces or use a fork. His mother does EVERYTHING for him.

I think I was 3 when I first started to dress myself and attempting to make my own bed.

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Tara to ♫♥♫♥♫LE... 2009/12/10 09:23:01

Geez... I could not imagine doing that stuff for a 10 year old. I agree completely with teaching them to do things for themselves. I taught my kids how to do everything, including teaching them how to cook. I did not want my boys to grow up to be men who had no clue what a kitchen was.

I don't know... I guess I just thought 4 was a little young for demanding they do such things will absolutely no help at all.

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taravati to Tara 2009/12/10 14:46:04

+1
It gives them a sense of satisfaction and achievement and helps reinforce their independence. :D
(I think)

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