This past weekend, we went to the museum twice. And I, for one, am always amazed at the fact that, despite the number of times he’s seen the dinosaur room or the kid’s marketplace, he still seems to find enjoyment in the dang place. Ha.

Actually, it was funny because AS I WAS THINKING about this, I was sitting near the fire truck (as he climbed it for the umpteenth time). I glanced over to my right and saw this sign hanging from the arm of the bench.

I mean, I guess I know this to be true about books. He loves reading the same books over and over. And not just a couple hours later. Like RIGHT AFTER WE JUST CLOSED IT AND SAID THE END.

I was talking to a mom yesterday morning and we were both commiserating about the mom guilt of wanting to take our kids to do all the things. Summertime in Chicago is SO GREAT because there’s always so much going on. But our kids would be so perfectly content if they got to show up to the same park and the same splash pad and the same museum every single day in the summer. It’s US that feels like we need “different.” It’s US that feels like they need a new experience every day.

Ishu is a happy little clam doing the same things over and over. So, if *I* want to go see something new or do something new, that’s one thing. But I think I need to let go of the pressure that I *need* to be doing this for my kid. Because it’s simply not true.

Anyway, I shared a cute story about our museum trip this past weekend over on Facebook yesterday. It kind of aligns with what I’m figuring out right now. The repetition of something – over and over again – is GOOD for kids. It’s consistent. It’s predictable. And comforting.

Our ‘family dinner.’ But there was one hilarious moment that I forgot to share. It made me laugh because shortly after this picture was taken, a big kid came in and started “preparing dinner” in the log cabin. He started plating the food and placing the plates on the table.

“Dinner’s ready, dinner’s ready!” as he gathered all the little kids in the cabin.

Some of those kids obliged and gathered at the table.

Ishu, however, did not. Here’s the text I shared with Ankur right after it happened.

Ha.

All this to say that 1) repetition is good (and necessary!) for toddlers.

And hopefully this repetition of family dinner every night eventually connects all those little wires in his brain and he’ll show up to the table and stay for a while.

One mama shared that in her family, they used to light a candle at the table and the kids had to stay there ’til the candle was out. I can see something like that DEFINITELY working for Ishu.

If anything, I’m glad we are attempting to make this shift with the way we eat our meals. It makes ME look forward to them more than ever before.

Maybe repetition ain’t bad for us adults too. 🙂