When does it change?

Joshua refuses to learn to push himself in a swing, he prefers to have someone else push him. I've noticed several of his friends can do it and I wish he would learn to do it to. I want to be one of the moms that can sit on a bench and talk to other moms while my child is swinging.

Well, Joshua and I were having a talk about it this week, and, I found myself saying "But all your friends can push themselves." Yes, I said it... I've also wanted to say it to try to persuade him to drink his milk cold as opposed to warm (he used to drink it cold, but then he got sick during the winter and I gave him warm milk to help comfort him and he has refused to drink cold milk ever since) and to get him to try riding his bicycle again (he was so excited when we first got his bicycle, the first time he rode it, the pedal fell off - it was preassembled at the store and I didn't check all the screws - and he has only ridden it one time since then because he is afraid the pedal is going to fall off...not that he fell off or anything, just the pedal...), but I stopped myself.

Embarassment or shame is not a good motivator and I thought about that right after I said it so I will not be saying it again. But, it did get me thinking....I wonder when will my thoughts change from "But all your friends are doing it" to "Well, if all your friends jumped off a bridge, would you?"!