Hi, I am new to this site, as I just moved in with my boyfriend and his nearly five year old son, Luke. I am hoping to get some advice regarding discipline/independence. (What I mean by independence is having a child who does stuff on his own.) Also, this is kind of a long post, so please forgive me.
Luke is with us 2-3 days/nights a week; his mother lives nearby. What I've noticed, while Luke is not a "bad" kid: he doesn't throw many fits, misbehave a lot, or act particularly bratty. But he doesn't do anything on his own. Whether it's watching TV, playing a game, eating, playing with toys, even wiping his bottom after he's gone to the bathroom--really anything at all--he insists that his dad do it with him. To the point where when we go to the playground, an adult, 6-foot-2 man is sliding down slides with him. He never picks up his toys, never helps clean anything up--because his father never asks him to do anything.
As well, his dad never ever says no. For example, even if it's close to bedtime, he gets to watch a movie (or a good chunk of it) or eat cookies. If he doesn't get a present every time we go into a museum store, he pitches a fit and inevitably, his dad buys it (even when it's a $60 stuffed animal).
I finally lost it today, when we were getting ready to leave (me for a dr.'s appt., Luke for school), and Luke was laying on the bed, his dad pulling on his pants for him as if he were a baby. I asked his dad if this was what it was going to be like when we all went on vacation (in a month's time),
So, if anyone has any advice on how to address the situation, without seeming to criticize my bf's parenting, I'd be most grateful.
Luke is with us 2-3 days/nights a week; his mother lives nearby. What I've noticed, while Luke is not a "bad" kid: he doesn't throw many fits, misbehave a lot, or act particularly bratty. But he doesn't do anything on his own. Whether it's watching TV, playing a game, eating, playing with toys, even wiping his bottom after he's gone to the bathroom--really anything at all--he insists that his dad do it with him. To the point where when we go to the playground, an adult, 6-foot-2 man is sliding down slides with him. He never picks up his toys, never helps clean anything up--because his father never asks him to do anything.
As well, his dad never ever says no. For example, even if it's close to bedtime, he gets to watch a movie (or a good chunk of it) or eat cookies. If he doesn't get a present every time we go into a museum store, he pitches a fit and inevitably, his dad buys it (even when it's a $60 stuffed animal).
I finally lost it today, when we were getting ready to leave (me for a dr.'s appt., Luke for school), and Luke was laying on the bed, his dad pulling on his pants for him as if he were a baby. I asked his dad if this was what it was going to be like when we all went on vacation (in a month's time),
So, if anyone has any advice on how to address the situation, without seeming to criticize my bf's parenting, I'd be most grateful.