The Art of Compromise

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I finally got back to some exercise this morning! Although I settled for a brisk walk on the treadmill - it was an adequate compromise. I actually burned some good chub by cranking up the incline.

Yesterday at the library I struck a compromise with our oldest daughter. She has fought me on independent reading time since she could read. She's very good at reading, but just like everything I WANT her to do, she resists.

I started thinking about it and it struck me that reading is just like exercise. People say they hate exercise. I used to hate it too! But I found something that I liked to do and it wasn't so bad anymore. I realized I may have to loosen some of my restrictions on her exposure to popular media to get her to read.

She always wants these Junior Novels from the Library on a Popular Teen Singer. One of Alahnnah's good friends just goes nuts for this little Half Dressed Harlot and has everything with her printed on it from underwear to a sleeping bag. I guess I didn't mind the Particular Singer, until this last year or so when she got a little older...and a lot bolder.

I've stood my ground for two years. No "music" by her, nothing on DVD or from Netflix, no clothing, no magazines, and no books. I mean, Alahnnah is EIGHT YEARS OLD. She doesn't need a star complex.

Sigh...you see where this is going. At the Library, I let her get a book with Miss Thang on the cover. She read voraciously yesterday. She begged me to let her read more before bed last night. This morning she was reading before breakfast. She finished the book before lunch today!!

She did get another book at the Library - a Petal Fairy book. I'm hoping that I've sparked at least a 'like' of reading....and that it doesn't back fire into hounding me for more Pop Star crap. I just don't think that an 8yr old little girl should be trying to wear makeup, piling on the jewelry and dancing around shaking her money maker.

For heaven's sake - she still sleeps with her blankie and plays in the tub! I won't get started on how I feel about popular media and how it is largely responsible for things like younger and younger teen pregnancies and lower self esteem in females from age 5 to 95...maybe another day.

My goal is to redirect...stay strong...and pray, pray, pray that I didn't mess up big time just to get her reading. Compromise. Scary.

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