Don't Yell at Him He's Proud of Himself.

These twins are growing like crazy and now have to be watched like hawks. They are not walking on their own yet, but are doing so with push walkers, cruising around the rooms, and now... climbing up on things! I am scared for how crazy things will be when they start walking.

Tonight P climbed into the recliner by herself and was standing up and holding up to the back on if it laughing.

I was shocked since this was the first time she has ever done this.... and I didn't see it happen.

Then N decided to copy her. We have a leather chest on the floor between our bookshelf and the recliner. The purpose of this placement is to block off the room so the twins can't get into the kitchen.

Well N climbed up on it and was about to climb on to the chair. I am assuming he had just watched P do this. I still had P in my arms from picking her from the recliner.

N was proud of himself, sitting on top of the chest, laughing and smiling, about to stand up. I am holding P. Mike and I both see the N is about to the same thing P has just done. Mike jumps up to yell and stop N.

And I say, "don't yell at him he's proud of himself." I could see it on his face. N seems to be the chicken and is not as daring as P. So this was a big deal to him.

Instead Mike grabbed him and said, "You silly boy you can't climb on that you are going to get hurt."

This brought me back to psychology class and Erikson's Psychosocial Stages.  This incident falls in to the second stage of his theory "Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt" -- Children need to develop a sense of personal control over physical skills and a sense of independence. Success leads to feelings of autonomy, failure results in feelings of shame and doubt.

To read more about this theory click here.