I have the same situation that goes on here with one of my daycare moms! Her son is 19 months and my daughter is almost 4! She is a mischievious, adventures, dangererous little girl just as she should be! She is constantly doing flips, cart wheels, head stands, she is a very busy little girl! Daycare girl ALWAYS makes comments about "hmmmm I wonder where you learned that from" She says it jokingly, and I thought it was cute and funny at first, but EVERYTHING my daughter does now she says Ava you shouldn't do that you know who is watching and who will copy you! Eerks me! If she is going to hurt herself or someone else with her stunts, yes I usually stop her, but for the most part she is learning and exercising and why would I stop her from doing the things she loves! She is a born gymnast! We just put her in gymnastics and her teacher raves about her and once she turns 4 she will be going into an advanced level for 4 year olds! Here is one example we were at a fire department gathering and my daughter who again will be 4 in Jan was simply jumping off of the curb, over and over again and sure enough her 19 month old goes over to copy her! She tells my daughter to stop doing that because her son will get hurt if he does it! I felt like saying then don't let him WATCH! She was not doing anything out of the ordinary, seriously jumping off of the curb, what does she want her to do stand their and be a zombie and hold my hand! I guess I support her being a spirited child, she isn't out of control, she is a good listener she is just a normal 4 year old who is loving, exploring and living life, why would I stop that!! I feel for you! I bowl with this daycare mom and she laughs and jokes with all the girls there about what her son has learned from my daughter and they all laugh and it is just oh so funny, but she at the same time makes my daughter out to be some sort of out of control monster who has no boundaries and that isn't the way it is what so ever! Thus far I have just laughed along, but would really like a comeback as well! How about " Yes, isn't it nice that your child is surrounded by happy, adventurous young chidren that lives life to the fullest and enjoys every minute of it! They are imaginitive, creative and have a true love for life. They learn so much each day by exploring and trying out new and different things! I think you should consider yourself very lucky to have had the chance to expose your child to such a fun loving child and help them to explore all of these fun moments they are exposed to instead of critisizing and belittling when the truth of the matter is they are healthy young children who have a true love for life and know exactly how to have fun and enjoy the little things in life and you as well should try enjoying the simple things in life as well instead of looking at them as bad, naughty learned behaviors!!" LOL I don't know, but something......
