An engaging attitude !

It is when I walk by the rose bushes in our garden I feel intrigued by the richness and hues of colours they bring to the garden! A bud has  a fragrant flower hidden in it. Every bud is expression of the life it is given by the plant. Every flower represents its lineage. 

Parents of young children get confused by some behaviours of pre-school children. There is a cluster of behaviours which parents refer to as 'tantrums',

One family told me that their son was insistent to have corn flakes at supper time. He did not want to eat anything else and cried and howled. It was after a few days he settled down to eat other food as before. The parents were patient and watchful during the time. It was a few days ago the family bought the packet of the corn flakes. It was his first time experience of tasting corn flakes with milk and honey. He relished it. I felt good that the family did not brand his behaviour as tantrum, but tarried with him patiently. 

At three years, a child is still limited verbally to be descriptive of his feelings and thoughts. What was easy was crying. I felt good that his cry did not intimidate the parents. They reasoned with him that cornflakes was a breakfast cereal, which he came to terms with gradually. 

Who forms the behaviour of toddlers or pre-school children! I suspect that it is the impulsive responses of parents that becomes confrontational for a child. At that age no child wants to be a loser! So he puts up a fight to win or have his way! 

It is the wise parents who know this mood and behaviour of pre-school children and resort to an engaging attitude and avoid giving a child the feeling of being a loser! 

The parents in this instance allowed the child to have corn flakes at dinner time provided he would also have some of the usual food. That compromise worked well. After a week, his fancy for corn flakes had disappeared. 

The mood and behaviour of a pre-school child reflects the state of emotional and conversational ambience at home ! 

Parents influence children considerably from early childhood. The pre-school children tell the story of parenting practices at home!

M.C.Mathew ( text and photo)