Nagging

As parents, we've gotten pretty used to nagging Sarah to do things we don't really think about doing ourselves. I don't mean to suggest that Sarah is unique; all children require lots of nagging. But I recently realised just how extensive it can be.

• We nag her to wake up.
• We nag her to go to bed.
• We nag her to eat.
• We nag her to get dressed.
• We nag her to clean her clothes.
• We nag her to clean her body.
• We nag her to brush her teeth.

I mean, it's a pretty comprehensive list, isn't it? Pretty much all of life's basic functions are there.  On further thought, I had to think about what we don't have to nag Sarah about.

• We don't have to nag her to use the washroom. When she has to go, she's pretty good about finding the washroom on her own. Flushing afterwards, she could still use some work on.
• We don't have to nag her to breathe. "Sarah, have you been respirating?" Not really needed.
• We don't have to nag her to speak. We aren't complaining, "Sarah, we wonder what you're thinking right now." That just doesn't seem to happen.