Thank you, Fred Rogers

Big Brother has turned a corner!  For the longest time (since before Little Brother's birth, especially when I was largely pregnant) we have been encouraging Big Brother to put on his own shoes.  For whatever reason, he has shown absolutely no desire to do this for himself.  It was becoming a battle this Fall, so I even created a reward chart for him right at eye level where his shoes were located.  We got through the chart and had 'success' with him putting his shoes on, but as soon as the chart was done, he went right back to not caring one iota about doing this for himself.  As I observed several of my friends' children (younger and same age as BB) doing this by themselves quite capably each time were together, Ross and I decided it was time to put our foot down.  We had a couple of 'battles' and some great successes over the past month or so, when all of a sudden he started putting on his shoes AND his coat all by himself.  EVERY TIME.  No questions asked - just 'okay Mama!'  While I was rejoicing in this new development, I was also somewhat baffled until I started listening carefully to his song.

You see, Big Brother sings all of the time.  Made up songs, songs he has learned from CDs, songs he has heard in church - our little man is a jute box.  So, to hear him sing while putting on his shoes wasn't all that 'new' to me.  Then I realized he was singing the closing song of the Mr. Rogers show every. single. time. he would go downstairs.  It began to dawn on me that thanks to Mr. Rogers responsibly taking off his outside shoes, putting on his house shoes, deliberately taking his coat off and trading it for his cardigan, my son - who adores Mr. Rogers and his trolley - now insists on doing that routine all by himself.  I offered to help the other day 'just because' and he said to me, 'No Mom, Mr. Rogers' Mama doesn't help him out.'  WHAT?! :)

I also need to include that Big Brother insists on humming the 'intro' to the song as we approach the house door when coming home from somewhere.  He does not appreciate the door being opened until it gets to the 'right part' (which apparently I am very clueless about).  It's really very precious and funny.