Two and a half years and Learning.

My Mother had a great deal of trouble with me, but I think she enjoyed it ~ Mark Twain

Hello. Well, to start off, Wish you all a month late, but a just as warm, very Happy New Year 2015! I never did think I'll be back at this space ever; but, here I am. :)

Evlyn is 2 years and 7 months young today. It's afternoon and I've picked up a chicken soup and am sitting in my balcony in a quiet house under a bright blue and clear sky. As she sleeps, I'm perfectly elated for this time of peace and solitude that I have got on a holiday.

The stories are short, nice and humorous. It's a chicken soup for mothers of preschoolers and the stories are easily relatable. I do try to read books, listen to speakers, and talk it out to experienced members regarding parenting, disciplining, expressing love and on teaching good virtues. But as a parent, the fear is always there. Not just the fear of their health or if they are eating well or if they are okay at school or if they pick fights with others.




The biggest fear I've come across in a lot of mothers or rather most parents is Am I parenting right? 
Am I too harsh or am I spoiling the child? Did I behave insensitively or is the child having too much of a leeway?

An important point I've picked up is that kids watch what you do rather than listen to what you tell them to do. And that my friends, was not a very good thing to learn. The sad truth? I think my daughter has not failed to prove that point. She knows how to voice her NO's and make it loud and clear to those around. She also knows how to switch on or off the laptop, to operate the basics on the mobile or the land phone, get cranky/panicky any time she coughs, vomits, gets a fever or falls anywhere. Oh, and she also knows to say "Chutta adi veno?" (do you want a tight spank) and to ask for perfume to be sprayed on her just as we are about to step out. Guess who she learnt it all from?

Well, on the brighter side, she knows how to water the potted plants, make chapati, cut her imaginary vegetables for curry and wash clothes by hand. The old proverb, Actions speak louder than words is difficult for me to keep in mind at crucial times and many a time, I have realized it much after the damage is done. Trying to think levelheadedly in the midst of chaos, not hitting the panic button in a jiffy or getting worked up for situations, calls for quite a bit of discipline and is not easy. The task of purposefully calming oneself down, trying to keep a cool head and speak the right things in the right way, is very much a trait that I'm in the process of acquiring.

Today, I'm surrounded by parents whose thoughts, actions and sound advice have influenced me. Different perspectives, methodologies and priorities have helped me think and question myself. By God's grace, I am learning to view the big picture or how things would turn out in the long run. But to conclude, I also know the fact that I cannot change who I am and my personality will definitely influence my child just as I have been influenced by my parents.

All this with one toddler at home. People with more than one? I respect and look up to you. We are all human; here today, gone tomorrow. We have our imperfections and short comings. But above all that, we want nothing short of first class for our children and we strive to our best for it. If you are a working parent, or a stay at home parent, I want to tell you that you are doing a great job of parenting and no one can do it better than yourself. So here's to many more days of dealing with tantrums, wiping phlegm, spanking, cuddling, sloppy kisses and feeling like you'll like to strangle some one.

Cheers!