@mechchicken I don’t agree at all. Because I left out the context that on a daily basis, I give him loads and loads of choices and autonomy. He always helps me with everything and I let him do pretty much everything I would do. Since he was a young baby I’ve always let him help me and do everything just as I would. Giving him autonomy and real world practice is one of the most important things to me as a parent so I maybe even go a little overboard sometimes letting him do everything.
Trying to think of an example but even just grocery shopping he gets to pick the cart, put the groceries in the cart, put the groceries in the belt and insert my card. At home when we’re cooking, he always helps me. He does everything, gets everything out, measures, mixes, throws things away, sorts recycling, we’re both covered in a mess - it’s ok. If I get a package he helps me bring it in, I let him cut it open with his scissors, we do it together. He likes to be the one to turn the tv on, pause it, turn it off. Etc. Anyway imaginable that he can be part of things with me, he will be part of it.
I definitely agree that I have some control issues but I do take pride in the level of autonomy I give him because I recognized from a very young age this was critical to his nature and personality and he truly thrives on it.
I’m staying with my grandma right now (visiting) so that was the example I pulled from the other day. I usually always ask him for specifics. Like another commenter said, I probably even give him TOO many choices. The cereal thing, I don’t really keep cereal in my house but he wanted essentially sugar for breakfast and I am a pretty health conscious person, so I have a personal boundary there. He definitely gets lots of treats and he’s had cereal plenty so don’t come for me lol.