Stick It To Me

We have a free sticker policy in our house.  Arianna has a bucket of stickers that she is allowed to do whatever she wants with, whenever she wants.  

I imagine that some of your are thinking that this is a really stupid idea.  But I disagree.

First of all stickers are great at developing fine motor skills.  The pincher grasp has to be used to pull stickers off their sheets, and there is also a problem-solving component that involves holding the paper at just the right angle.  I'm all about fine motor development and this is a cheap and enjoyable activity.

Second, it's a great learning activity in self-control.  Arianna is not allowed to put stickers on anything that belongs to me or Marc, the floor, or the walls.  There have been times she's come to me with a sad face saying "I really want to put this sticker on the door to decorate it."  Which is proof that she understands and remembers the rules and is exhibiting self-control by not doing it.  She's also conveying to me that she trusts me enough to tell me her feelings.

Of course, there have been times when I've found a few stickers somewhere they shouldn't be.  This is where the free sticker policy teaches Arianna that it's okay to mistakes and that, with a little work, she can fix them.  And of course, if she needs help correcting a mistake, I will help her.  (When we find rogue stickers, it's Arianna's job to peel them off.)

The free sticker policy is not without its challenges though. Take a look at what happened recently:

When I first walked in Arianna's room, she only had two stickers on her bed and she was sitting staring at a sheet of stickers.  "Mommy!  Look!  I'm decorating my bed!  Doesn't it look beautiful?"  

This is where I had to make a Mommy-Decision.  

I had two options.  One, I could break her little heart by telling her that we do not put stickers on furniture.  Or two, I could let her do it.  

As you can see, I let her do it.  

So I guess the question on everyone's mind is - why?

Well, let's be realistic - children get most things decided for them.  I like to allow Arianna to make choices for herself whenever it's appropriate.  It's her bed in her room and it makes her happy to have it "decorated."  (It's been over two weeks already and she still says "Isn't my bed beautiful?" every time she walks in her room.)  

Just like I won't agree with every decision she makes in her life, I will always support her and love her. I also always want her to believe in herself and feel confident in her choices and her opinions.  And when the day comes she wants the stickers removed, I'll be right there with some Goo Gone and a garbage bag.