I don’t claim to be an expert on parenting or on child psychology. As a matter of fact, I’m just a regular mom who loves my children that I’m willing to eat live slugs if the situation calls for it – although I honest to goodness hope to God that doesn’t have to happen at all.
That love is what propels me to work my butt off as hard as I possibly could every day of my life so that I, along with my husband, would be able to provide them their needs – a decent home in a decent neighborhood, three regular meals a day, quality education and some recreation.
Image courtesy of Sura Nualpradid / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Seeing my children grow up, I have come to understand that kids, even at their very young age, sometimes don’t want to be treated as kids. They want to be able to freely communicate.
They want parents to listen to their thoughts as well, especially if what’s foremost on their minds is something that means a lot to them.
My husband and I encourage our children to openly talk. We ask them about their day at school, and most of the time, they gamely relate every little thing they think was worth relating.
Now kids as they are, sibling disputes arise every now and then – whose turn it is to use the computer, the Game Boy, Papa’s cellphone to play the game app installed in there, what kiddie show to watch on TV, who should use the bathroom first, who gets the chicken leg part instead of the wing, and so many other things adults call, well, childish.
And playing referee is, believe me, not a walk in the park on a sunny Sunday morning.
First instance of squabbling, the referee issues a warning.
Okay, let’s give credit where credit is due. In fairness to these kids, they don’t simply shrug off warnings. They heed them and stop fighting or yelling their heads off.
For five minutes tops.
“Final warning, people!”
And then big brother wrestles little brother to the floor because little brother’s time on the Game Boy was already supposed to be up and he still wouldn’t let go of the gadget. Little brother then cries at the top of his lungs.
The referee could do nothing but grit her teeth and keep them apart.
This morning, the Positive Discipline Act of 2011 was plastered all over the news. It made me realize it was time I talked even MORE with my children.
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Im glad hindi na uso si shinchan ngayon, kasi salbaheng bata si chinchan este shinchan
oo nga, ano? 😀