Lily is nothing short of fiercely independent. I say this firmly, after having spent the last year and nearly a half with her much easier going little brother. Nate, tends to be very content with allowing you to do things for him.
For as long as I can remember, Lily has wanted to dress herself, open the door herself, along with a list of other things - by herself. Refuse her the right, and there are repercussions.
The good thing is that independence is a good thing, so when it's not an issue you want her to do things for herself. This works out fine if it's something small, like putting on her pull up diaper. It becomes an issue when it's a time sink or a disaster waiting to happen. So, you kind of have to cringe when she demands to pour her own milk with a carton she can barely grasp. Then all you can do is sit patiently when she demands to climb, slowly & precariously, into the back of my truck, something that can be accomplished in 1/10th the time by just picking her up.
As a parent, you want to promote independence. Eventually they have to do everything for themselves, so the sooner the better. Doing is the best way to learn and inspire confidence. That's what I have to keep reminding myself, because the time and hassle often makes it a pain.
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