Sit a preschooler in an empty room with one marshmallow in front of him. Tell him he can eat the marshmallow immediately, or wait for a bit and get a second marshmallow. This experiment (originally conducted by Walter Mischel at Stanford University in 1972) absolutely fascinates me. It turns out that the kids who were able to delay gratification and wait for that second marshmallow experienced greater academic success later in life.
Hmmm. I could wait a lifetime for a second marshmallow, because I'm not a fan of that particular confection. However, I was the kid that ate her Halloween chocolate in a matter of days. When it was gone I was sad. So I wiped away my tears and stole from my little sister's not-so-secret chocolate stash. She could make a single chocolate bar last for weeks, delicately nibbling a bite or two per day. Her rage upon discovering the large impression of my teeth in her Symphony bar was cataclysmic.
I have no desire to analyze my inability delay gratification when it comes to chocolate. I choose to embrace it and move forward. But I can tell you, I will intentionally teach Baby JAR how to wait and regulate his emotions. Forget Baby Einstein or flashcards. It's simpler than that. Kids need love, security, and self-control. And now I will step off my soapbox.
The jars are currently irrelevant. It seemed like a solid theme in 2011 and I'm too tired to rethink it. Also, should I even have a blog in 2020?
