A little blemish or black spot?

WARNING: for clean and tidy people, please do not judge me - I am embarassed about my black spot!!

See that black dot next to my toothbrush? Well, I have learnt to live around it. It has been on my wall next to my toothbrush for at least 12 months. For some reason everytime I clean the bathroom cleaning off that black spot hasn't happened. I just haven't made the time or forgotten about it.

I have learnt to adjust to that black spot. I put my toothbrush in the toothbrush holder in a particular angle to ensure that after brushing my teeth I avoid my toothbrush making contact with it.

It doesn't bother me, I have learnt to live with it. Except that if anyone ever came into my bathroom and saw it I would be embarassed! The reality however, is that life would be easier with it gone. If I just remembered to clean it, have the right tool (or approach), I could clean that little stain and then it wouldn't matter how I put my toothbrush into that holder EACH and EVERY time I brush my teeth.

As I consider that black spot that I have adjusted to and learnt to live around I think it can be a good demonstration of how sometimes as parents we adjust to our little billies to avoid their black spots!

One classic black spot in our house is the colour of bowl, plate, cup, knife and fork etc etc. The way to work around the black spot is easy, make sure that I always give pink to Miss Billie and Blue to Master Billie. But sometimes the RIGHT colours dinnerware is in the dishwasher!! Plus the fact that me, Big Billie didn't want to have to go through the cupboards and find the right thing EACH and EVERY time just to avoid the confrontation, tears and crying that would occur in 'you gave me the wrong coloured bowl..... I wanted the pink bowl!!' and then the odd times when they decide they need to mix it up and low and behold they want the green and orange bowls and I am not a mind reader!!!

I did however, let the black spot grow. Initially I did think what harm could it really be in giving their meals on their favourite colours? Well, it was ok until one day I went to a friends house and both of my kids got really upset and also tantrum like when they did not receive the RIGHT COLOUR CUP! I know it is horrifying isn't it??? Well, it was. Both children were a little bit out of control over the whole situation and it was then that I realised that this black spot, although was ok at home, was not cool when we were out and about. That any black spot that I do not teach my children about at home will get bigger and rear it's ugly head when I least expect it and publically!

So, back to my toothbrush black spot. I decided it was time to get rid of it. I thought it would be simple and would kick myself that I hadn't gotten rid of it sooner. I also thought that once removed there would be no evidence that it had been there before..... well I was a little shocked!

I should have dealt with that black spot sooner. Regardless of my scrubbing that black spot is still there. Yes it is somewhat smaller, but it will come back, I couldn't remove all traces! I let it grow and now, I will see it rear its ugly head time and time again.

Oh yes, the coloured bowls and things.... I did decide to deal with that too! I decided to teach my kids to have a 'good attitude*' about what they were given, in this instance (at least). I taught them to be thankful that they had plates and bowls and spoons, etc. I also gave them language. I taught them over time, when they were disappointed with what they got to say 'thank you, I didn't want the pink bowl, but that is ok, may I have the pink bowl next time?'.

I wanted to teach my kids to embrace and understand that they will not always getting want they want. I wanted them to know that sometimes with the right attitude, manners and words that there is a hope that next time it will be right. I didn't want them, to not be able to express their desires. I think it is important to do that. However, there is a right way and a wrong way of doing that.

Just like my toothbrush, I did leave it too long. There is a little stain left behind. If I am not careful it will grow again. As soon as I am aware now of that black spot returning I make sure I give them the wrong colour, as it provides me a teaching moment and to remove a little stain from my kids!

Do you know of a little black spot in your house that needs dealing with? I would love to hear about it and maybe how you plan to tackle it!

A black spot shared is a black spot halved! LOL

ps: *'good attitude' is a magnet reward in the Stage 2 set of magnets that are included with our reward charts.