Binbin will always have an early lunch before he goes to school at 12noon. So when he eats, Allan and I will chat. Then we will have our lunch together with Keatkeat after 1pm when he is released from school. That has been our routine for this year, the life of having one child in the morning session and the other in the afternoon session.

Today, Binbin requested something different…

Binbin: “Mummy, can I have my lunch in school today?”

Me: “Why?”

Binbin: “I want to try something new.”

Me: “What are you going to eat?”

Binbin: “Chicken Rice.”

Me: “What else?” (knowing that the portion is lesser than the ones served in the hawker centres)

Binbin: “Nothing. The Chicken Rice is MEDIUM size plate leh! Sure very full after eating that.”

Anyhow, we decided to let give him a little more than the cost of the plate of chicken rice, just in case he felt like eating a fruit or two after that.

……AFTER SCHOOL…..

Me: “So how do you feel having lunch in school today?”

Binbin: “Nervous, because I never do it before.”

Me: “So did you eat Chicken Rice with any other things?”

Binbin: “Hhhhmmm…. I forget!”

*faint*

Me: “So was it fun to eat lunch in school by yourself?”

Binbin: “Yup! But I am NEVER going to do it again because there were so many teachers looking at me wondering why am I doing at the canteen at that time. Too early for school. When they look at me eat ah, I very nervous, but I still can eat lah.”

*laugh*

Yup! Its good to let your children decide what they want to do. After experiencing it, let them decide if they would want to do it again.

Though I do fear that he may not have sufficient food to fill his tummy long enough till recess time, I still allowed him to go ahead with HIS plan; instead of being overprotective and rejected his request.

As our children grow older, they like to take control of their lives and love to make decisions for themselves. During such times, parents should loosen the grip on them and let them grow and mature with their own decisions and experiences.

That’s part and parcel of parenting. Yes, letting go is ALSO what being a parent should be. Spot those signals of “I’m a big kid now”, and when you do see that red light flashing, its letting loose (a little) time. If you insist on holding on, you are definitely getting yourself into a game of tug-of-war. In simpler terms: You start to see a rebellious kid appearing.

Actually, even till this day, when Allan is already a Father of two, I can see that my MIL still has not loosen that grip on him. *wink*

 

Binbin having Lunch in School for the First Time