If you wouldn't get mad at Grandma...

In my very first Child Development class, right out of high school, the professor told a story. 

She told us about a family who took their beloved but aging Grandma to a buffet.  Grandma put food on her plate and headed back to their table.  She wasn't too steady, especially carrying a heavy plate of food, and as a result, dropped her plate.  The family was very kind to Grandma.  They cleaned it up and helped her get some more food.  This time someone carried the plate for her.

On this same visit, their three year old was with them.  She wasn't too steady either, especially carrying to huge plate of food, and as a result, dropped her plate.  The family got upset at her.  They asked her why she was so clumsy.  They wondered why she can't do something so easy like carry a plate without dropping it.  They ordered her to clean up all her food and to go sit back down at the table because if she can't carry her plate without dropping it, she doesn't get to eat.

Our professor looked at us and asked, "Who is more capable of carrying a plate of food without spilling?"  The unanimous answer was the Grandma.  Her question to us, then, was, "Why get mad at a three year old for something she is less capable of doing, when you don't get mad at Grandma for something she is more capable of doing?  If you wouldn't get mad at Grandma, don't get mad at your kids."  

The thought struck me hard, and stays with me today, even 20 years later. 

Blog posts without pictures are boring, so here is an picture of my awesome Grandma Lorraine, holding my oldest, Missy, when she was just a few months old.