Prashant was downloading the photos from his camera while his wife Preethi was getting their five year daughter Priya for dinner after her bath. Priya looked curious seeing several photos of a squirrel feeding in their garden.
Priya raised her voice and said to Prashant, 'Daddy, you see, the squirrel is feeding with both paws. Why are you then asking me to feed with my right hand only'! Prashant was surprised at the observational skill of his daughter. He reviewed the photos. He noticed that the squirrel used both paws to feed. Prashant held Priya close to him and said, 'Sweetie, boys and girls by about five years would have one hand as the dominant hand and the other becomes the companion hand'! Priya was persuasive with her observation. 'Look daddy, the squirrel sits up without any help from the paws in the front. Only adult squirrels can do that. Even an adult squirrel is using both paws to feed. I am still a child and not an adult. So it is alright to use both hands till I am older, is it not so?'
Preethi had by then come to call Prashant and Priya for the evening meal. Prashant briefed Preethi about the conversation he had with Priya. Priya told Preethi that squirrel feeds with both hands. It was then Prashant noticed something interesting in the photos he had. There were few pictures of the squirrel holding the piece of banana in the right hand while the left hand was a supporting the other hand. In one picture, the squirrel was seen feeding with the right paw. Prashant, pointing to the photos said to Priya, 'Look at the photos where the squirrel is holding food with right and other photos of using the right paw alone to feed'. Priya was surprised by that, and said, ' Yes, I can also eat food with one hand'!
At the meal table, that was what Prashant and Preethi noticed. Priya was consciously using the right hand. She could manage well with one hand alone!
Prashant and Preethi were overwhelmed by this change in Priya that Preethi served ice cream to Priya to make it as a special evening for her.
After the regular bed time reading, Priya was ready to sleep. That was when Prashant said to her, 'Sweeti, you managed well to eat with one hand' Priya responded by saying, 'When a squirrel could eat with one paw, I knew I too could do so'. Priya received hugs and kisses more than the usual from Prashant and Preethi before she was asleep.
The subsequent conversation between Prashant and Preethi, revolved around finding more effective ways of communication than repeating or insisting, when they want Priya to do something differently from her inclination! Next morning they were surprised that Priya came running to hug Prashant and Priya on her own!
An issue which gets Priya into defence and argument at meal times over using one hand for feeding, got resolved easily and spontaneously. That was a lesson for Prashant and Preethi to look for alternate means of communication with Priya, which her young mind can align with! They said to themselves: 'Parents need patience and wisdom to engage young children'!
It was photos of a squirrel that Prashant used which helped in this instance change in the mind set!
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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