Parents of small children have to make a lot of decisions. Issues like breast or bottle feeding, whether to let your under two watch Cbeebies, should you stay at home or work, what school should kiddo go to…. Every step along the way involves parents deciding what they feel is best for their child.
I find the bigger stuff easier than the day to day issues. Hubby and I are pretty much agreed on nutrition, schooling, TV watching, activities and so on… But the day to day decision making is harder. My little people test the boundaries of my decision making hourly. From my nearly four old who wants, wants, wants NOW, to my nearly one year old who’s happiest stuffing toilet paper down the loo when I’m not looking, I am constantly checking my reactions, deciding how to respond.
I have a rule I follow when making decisions, which I learned from Suzy Welch’s book, 10-10-10 and it works. Basically, whenever I have a decision to make, I ask myself what the consequences of my decision will be in ten minutes time, in ten months time and in ten years. Hence the title, 10-10-10. (more…)
