My spirited toddler

I have a spirited kid.  He's great.  He is creative, thinks and acts big and is also very sensitive.  I'm learning new "tricks" to parenting that include everything from:

• sticker charts and praise
• the "thinking chairs"
• consequences (a train on the shelf for 5-10 minutes)
• cuddles
• trying to watch his cues so that he's not overstimulated
• not venturing outside on those "I DON'T WANT TO go outside days." 
• Asking for grace daily as we venture out and talking about being "kind and considerate."

Maybe it all seems obvious and simple when it's written down, but it really doesn't live out that way.

I have to look give him space to run (but not too much).  I need to make sure he's eaten enough, has had his juice, remembered to use the toilet, is rested, wants his baby bro to go outside with him and has his ball.  If all of those categories are ticked, we can go outside (for about an hour otherwise meltdowns happen).  

We avoid chatting (I get pulled away from chats and I'm commanded to RUN.. PLAY..) 

Small people who get in his personal space find that my little man growls. 

Big people who get in his personal space find that his arms move like a helicopter and he can scream.

When I'm not being commaded to RUN, there are instant crowds and I'm needing to explain why my baby doesn't wear socks, why it's ok to wear him in a sling, and even why their child's headshape isn't better or worse than my child's (a very worried mother told me yesterday that because her son's head wasn't round, his brain was at a serious disadvantage in life.)  Along with dodging the people who want to pull on his legs when he's sleeping:)

I saw a grandma hit her grandson the other day.  I was quite upsetting to see him hunched over his bike in a fit while she just sat watching him. When I asked (because over here, you don't ignore those socially awkward situations, you get right into them:) her why he was crying, she proudly went up and showed me the welt on his back.  She seemed quite proud of her discipline.  I felt for the kid.  I rubbed his back (he was my new best friend today) and just tried to say a few comforting things. Other moms had interesting reactions to it.  Basically, "it's just the way things are here."

It's hard to not lose your temper.  I've been in her shoes.  It's hard being a parent / care-giver.   It's hard having an especially active little dude.   

Doing life with two (one especially active) in China has interesting challenges.  Still trying to find my way and keep my little men happy.