All About Your Child

How in the world would the child know how to behave, if he was never taught. ~ F.W.L.

I was in the retail line selling handmade accessories for about 6 years. I was always moving around from one pushcart, some of you may know it better as trolley carts, to another all the time.

As usual I was at my stall rearranging my display…suddenly a small hand pop up beside me, snatched a charm bracelet and started playing with it. He was happily swinging it in the air as if he was a cowboy. Oooops! He lost grip, the bracelet flew and hit a passerby.

The mummy was right beside me, busy choosing earrings for herself. She saw her son’s action from beginning till the end and all she did was kept chanting, “Ah boy, stop playing with auntie’s (refering to me) things”, over and over again.

The mummy’s reaction towards the son’s behaviour was really unbelievable! When my bracelet hit the man, who happened to be his unlucky day, the mummy didn’t even say sorry! She just said plainly, “See…. You hit someone already… go pick up the bracelet and bring it back…”

I was in total shock! In my mind, I was thinking, how could you be soooooo oblivious to this type of behaviour! Its simply untolerable!

By the way, the boy did not pick it up, he just ran to look for his dad, who was busy talking to someone else. I went over to pick up my ‘abused’ bracelet from the floor. The beads broke.

Guess what? When I looked up, the family was no where gone. Ahhhh…what a terrible upbringing mindset….

Pleasssseee! If your child ever do anything similar to what happened to me, please save the ‘whatever thing’ from the hands of the ‘playful one’, before you decide what you want to do to the child.

Essential things to consider during disciplining:

Right Timing
Discipline should be meted out straight away as it strengthens the effect. But is should not be done with anger

Be specific in pointing out the behaviour that is not acceptable
This will help your child to know what action is unacceptable and its consequences

Deal with the behaviour, not the child
Avoid comments that belittle, eg. ‘You are stupid’. Deal with the action without putting the child down.

Deal with the present
Do not constantly refer to your child’s past mistakes as it becomes a form of nagging and may impose guilt on him.

Seek to be reconciled with the child
After disciplining your child, take time to talk with him and let him know that he is loved despite the wrong he did