As a new parent, I'm interested in observing other parents with their kids, how they treat and speak to their kids, what they do or don't do for their kids. Luckily for me, there are plenty of good and bad examples around to learn from.
I was at the swimming pool the other day and learned another lesson...
A swimming lesson was in progress while I was swimming. By the time I finished my 20 laps and got to the change room, a couple of kids with their mums were already there.
A mother was helping her daughter getting into her T-shirt and shorts. After she was dressed and they were ready to go, the little girl said she wanted to go to the toilet. Maybe they were going somewhere afterwards, or the mother was in a hurry to get home because she sounded displeased after hearing this. She then nagged non-stop along the lines of 'Why didn't you tell me you want to wee before I change you? Now I have to take your shorts off again. I don't know why you always do this..." Blah Blah Blah and it went on and on. Needless to say, no one was happy.
I sympathised with the mother but I felt sorry for the little girl. When you give a 3-year-old the responsibility of telling you when she wants to go to toilet in a time that is convenient to you, you will definitely be disappointed. In my opinion, the best thing for the mother to do would be to take the responsibility of making sure a toilet stop becomes a habit after swimming or before going out.
I know I will lose my temper sometime in the future, but I hope if we are faced with the same situation, I will behave like the adult and remember that it is my responsibility to develop good habits for the kids, starting when they are young.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Parenting lesson at the pool
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1 comment:
I have had those not handling the situation well moments. Like when we went to a large park just me and the girls the youngest was not walking and I had struggled with a stroller and the oldest ones bike, asked her continually if she needed to go to the toilet answer was no until I had finally got to the bike track and then she said I need to go to the toilet. What! It happens in the middle of ballet lessons, shops without toilets, on the road anywhere that is really hard to find a toilet. I hope you have more joy it can be challenging at times and in hindsight you wished you handled it in a different way!
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