This week, while making my 5th cup of coffee, I was engaged in a heated discussion with my 5 year old about why she was not allowed to drink coffee. As she was explaining her point, I started to think to myself, "How is this child, that I gave birth to 5 years ago, speaking to me like she is an adult?".
The discussion lasted almost an hour and during this time period she 1. used the word apparently correctly in a sentence 2. made a list of 7 reasons why she should be able to drink coffee and 3. was so invested in her argument that she made a conclusion highlighting her points at the end of her speech.
I was so shocked that she made such a good argument on her behalf that I gave in and allowed her to have "coffee". (mostly cream with just a little bit of coffee) She was very proud of herself but all I could do is think that I have created a monster or at least the next greatest defense attorney.
What do you think the downfall of teaching children how to argue in an intelligent manner at such a young age would be? Are we just raising miniature adults? What experiences have you had on this topic?
Now here is a video of my favorite little "attorney"....
I think it is important to teach children to argue intelligently. In a way, we are creating miniature adults, but thats not a bad thing. I believe that making an effective, intelligent argument is an important part of communication. I try to teach my son to use his words to describe what and why he wants something, instead of whining (which is SO annoying to me) and crying. I can then explain to him why I believe he should or should not get his way. Sometimes he understands and we can come to an agreement (even at 3 years old), and sometimes, because he is only 3, we can't and I have to pull the mom card and tell him that this is the way it is, and I'm sorry if you don't like it.
ReplyDeleteIt is ironic that your post be about young children speaking as adults because my son and I had an interesting conversation last week about constipation. "Mom, what's wrong with my butt?", he asked me. "I sit on the potty and nothing happens. It's stuck in there. It's like play-doe or something." He was very serious and had a very concerned look on his face. I found myself amazed, wondering how he had learned to be so descriptive and how to communicate his problem so well, like a miniature adult. It was like talking to myself in the mirror, my facial expressions and hand gestures. I was better able to explain that so much string cheese had backed him up and that apple juice and lots of water would possible help him.
The whining issue seems to be a big problem area for many parents and I think I might do a post on that topic in the near future. It is nice to hear that other parents are teaching their children how to argue their point in an intelligent manner and I am glad to see that you explain your point before going to the "because I said so" route. I find that parents use the "because I said so" too much without explaining why.
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