Thankfully I am not a control freak. Honest. But I do find myself biting my lip when my son puts his clothes on backwards, or misses a spot when he wipes his table, or uses his water colors WITHOUT water--hello?!
OK, when he did this the other day I had to say something, and he protested: "Mommy no! Mine!" I insisted he get some more water (it spilled) as I saw his water color paints get dried out, along with his paintbrush, making my skin crawl and my lip bleed from biting it so hard--not really, but you get the point.
So am I a control freak? I don't think so. Yet I find it so hard not to interfere!
Which brings me to the next point, one I know you've heard over and over and over again: pick your battles, don't let them pick you!
You can't battle your child over everything. Some things you have to let go. Roll your eyes. Turn your head. Bite your lip. Count to ten. Count to a hundred. Walk away. Run away. Have a glass of wine or a cup of herbal tea.
As much as you feel the need to be in control, so does your child. It's natural. It's healthy. It will drive you nuts!
I just happen to have a child who is willing (and able) to battle me over EVERYTHING if I let him... Don't know where he gets it from!
So what if he runs around with his shirt on backwards. So what if he doesn't wipe his table perfectly.
Control freak or no control freak, I need to let my child feel in control, to learn from his mistakes, to say, "No mommy! No!" as I bite my lip and run for a glass of wine.
