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I'm here as a mom of twins to remind parents how little control they actually have w/r/t their kids' personalities, likes and dislikes. One of my kids will eat nearly anything & loves fruits & veggies. The other would survive solely on milk & chicken nuggets if I let him.
My big eater also has a HUGE appetite for television (he's really into ASMR and unboxing videos, which, okay. He's 3 btw.). The other one could care less about TV. TV kid loves to do arts & crafts. Other kid prefers taking things apart & putting them back together.
These kids have been parenting EXACTLY THE SAME WAY with the exact same rules and boundaries. We don't make special meals for kids & that means picky kid sometimes goes to bed hungry. His choice. He weighs more than my big eater.
We also don't limit screen time (don't care to get into a debate about it either!). TV kid watches probably a couple hours a day. Other kid could be watching but prefers other activities, like watching a bug try to flip itself over from its back.
Point is: your kids are who they are and you are not to blame for the traits you see in them that maybe you wish were different. Embrace the whole child, help them set healthy boundaries & praise them when they make good choices. And just relax. The kids will be alright.
Do some kids need more support in certain areas? Sure. My picky kid gets all his food separate on his plate so that he can choose what he wants to eat and what he doesn't. I make sure the TV kid has lots of opportunities to play outside and *do other stuff*.
Non-artsy kid will likely need help with his pencil grip in the next couple of years, as he cares little about coloring. He also feels things DEEPLY & needs a lot more time to process his feelings.
Artsy kid is even-tempered (for a toddler) & often quick to recover from disappointments. He even sometimes laughs when he gets hurt. He may need help expressing himself as he gets older. Or maybe he'll do that most effectively through art.
Watching these two people become themselves is truly the greatest honor of my lifetime. It is also a huge responsibility. But I tell you what: my gut and my heart have not once steered me wrong. Yours won't either.
