She grabs/touches everything!

Another post about my little DD...she is sweet, but she is definitely more challenging than her brother!

How do you handle the constant need to touch or grab everything? I know it is just her way of learning and exploring, but it drives me batty! For example, we were making frosting last night and I was having them help me with the additions. DS can add his cup of powdered sugar and then be done, waiting his turn for the next item. DD, on the other hand, adds her cup of sugar, then wants to lick it, stick her fingers in the bowl, grabs the bowl, wants to stir, wants to touch the mixer, etc, etc. I politely remind her that she needs to wait until Mommy can help her with those things. She agrees and seems fine. I turn my back to put the powdered sugar on the counter and turn around to find her stirring the bowl with powdered sugar flying in the air, and frosting spilling over the edge!! Gah.

I know this is totally normal and that she and her brother just have very different personalities. But, will more self-control come with age??

 

Hahaha....this SO sounds like my DS! I love him, I completely adore him, but oh what a challenge he can be! Every time I cook with him, it is trying to say the least. He requires a ton of patience. He is a test of patience all the time. I still struggle with parenting him, but one thing that was an eye opener for me was a book called "How to raise a spirited child". It described DS to a T and definitely put some things into perspective for me. It made me realize why he does the things he does and he doesn't do them to drive me batty!

 

I LOVE that book...it really helped us understand DD much better. I guess a reread is in order to remind me that she is not acting like this just to drive me nuts . The grabbing and touching has been especially bad this weekend at the grandparents...they DEFINITELY do not get it!!!

 

I agree - cooking and baking with the kids is so much fun but a real challenge too. I have one budding scientist too who needs to experiment hands-on with everything. We have a "hands on your back, look only"-request for dangerous situations (like the risk of sticking your hands into the food processor or hot pans). Otherwise I accept the inevitable mess and try to involve them in the cleaning afterwards with is also still fun for them - even if the kitchen is not quite up to my standards afterwards.

 

I too am hoping this is something our DD with outgrow soon. I will say to her "Are we supposed to touch?" and she will smile saying "No....." as she is touching whatever it is I don't want her to touch. I definitely think it is a sensory learning experience, but it can drive me crazy.

 

oh ugh! mine are always touching everything too... and probably my dd more too!

as for cooking, I actually took mine to a cooking class a month ago, and of course they were angels for the chef... but with that said, at the beginning they washed their hands and made a big deal about not licking their hands etc. I really think that talking about it and saying not to spread germs helps. but of course they listen better for others too.

I love the idea of hands on their backs for times too.

oh also, mine do well with sharing a 5 minute time slot. one will get to get on the step stool in the kitchen with me and measure, stir etc, and the other has to sit out at the table and do coloring or watch a dvd etc.

good luck! it is so frustrating for them to be so curious sometimes! but I guess it's all part of the learning ...