Things very small children are bad at

[ailbhe]

Accepting reality as it is - "I did not take the chocolate," they say, covered in smears of it and with the wrapper clutched in their hands.

Planning for the future - even ten minutes in the future. "I'll eat it now," they say, and then cry when it's all gone, or demand to "share" yours.

Impulse control - "I'll eat it now," they say, knowing that there'll be trouble later on but somehow sure that they can conceal the chocolate, the wrapper, and the gap in the pantry, later, in spite of the dread of being caught even as they chow down.

Contingency planning - they can't think "It's warm, so I'll eat the chocolate near a wipe-clean surface."

It's true - some children don't know enough to put a coat on before going out in the rain.

Comments

[gloriap.livejournal.com]

"some children don't know enough to put a coat on before going out in the rain."

Nor do many adults of the DH breed.
;-)

[supermouse.livejournal.com]

I remember at *twelve years old* finally cottoning on to the idea that, if I balanced a cup on the arm of a chair, I was likely to knock it over later. I realised that children don't, and can't do 'consequences'.

[flybabydizzy.livejournal.com]

Dad: What happened to mummy's chocolate?
Small female child: It fell into my mouth.

[niallm.livejournal.com]

As young children go, so do nation states.

Except they have economic policies and nuclear weapons.

Consequences

[(Anonymous)]

Yes, all true - - I was going to say that I know some adults who are still like that but I think that the comment about "nation states" trumps that, and is sadly accurate!
Daphne