Everybody knows..
It is definitely not easy
being parents..
One thing as our never-ending
homework is teaching discipline.
It’s hard because, we as
parents also lacks certain discipline sometimes..
Such as we often get to
work late.. :D, we don’t do certain tasks as promised to others and other
stuffs..
Well, how can we teach
discipline if we as parents’ don’t practice it perfectly?
But then again.. We are
trying to mould a better generation than ourselves right.. We have to try.
Because this is not an easy
thing to do.. We try to teach discipline by building habits that
hopefully will lead to discipline.
At 6.15 am , we gave her a bath.. so when we leave for work she is all
neat and tidy.. ready to kiss us
goodbye.
And by applying that rule,
we always tuck her in bed at round about 9 pm, so she will have adequate sleep
at night.
This bedtime rules was
applied ever since she was born. Eventhough when she was just a couple of
months old, she often wakes up at night and didnt go back to sleep until 3 or 4
o’clock in the morning.. but we always turn the lights off at 9 pm, to teach
her that night time is dark and it is for sleeping.
And.. so far we don’t have
any problems tucking her in at 9 pm.
Another habit we try to build
is the behaviour in Church..
Its hard to keep a child
not running around or screaming in Church.. because lets face it, two hours of
Church is one of a big boring activity for a child.
When she was still 12-18
months, her meal time coincides with Church hours, therefore I had to give her
breakfast or dinner in Church.. this means that we had to sit outside in
Church.
But ever since she was 18
months above, she can have her meals earlier.. so in Church she doesn’t have to
eat anymore.. only snacks as fruit, fruit juice, biscuit or milk.. and that can
be eaten inside..
*I guess :D
So now, we rarely sit
outside with other parents.
From my observation.. its definitely
hard having a toddler in Church.. they just keep on playing and running around..
hehehe
But on the other hand.. I
saw some perfectly sweet toddlers.. Sitting on mommy’s or daddy’s lap, or
occupied with some snacks and books sitting inside the Church..
Well, maybe they are not as
active as the others.. or probably because their parents won’t let them run
around.
Honestly.. sometimes its
me.. the parents who wants to sit outside the Church.. so we don’t have to
listen 100% to the service inside.. we just want to chill out.. its more
relaxed outside, we can watch our children play, and when they make a noise..
we don’t have to bother.
Then it hits me.. maybe
this not about the child after all.. Because once we let the run around in
Church and we sit outside.. they will think that its OK and it becomes a habit.
First we as parent must commit to these rules that we try to teach.
So even though its
sometimes tiring try to occupy a child inside a Church, making sure she doesn’t
disturb others.. We try to do that.
Yes sometimes she still
disturb others with her babbling and her ways.. but hey.. Doesn’t Jesus himself
welcome children?
It doesn’t always work out
though.. we need to have lots of trick up our sleeve.. The thing is just
be persistent, because children are so smart.. one day they will surely learn
about the right thing.
She becomes interested in the mass and especially during communion, she’s so
eager for mommy and daddy to eat hosti
“ayo ayo mam kue” .. hehe
We sat inside, just the two
of us, while daddy sits in front . We sat near the side exit where we can see the
other children playing outside. Her eyes wide open looking at the other kids
running about and throwing pebbles in the pond. She pointed outside mimicking
those kids and said “sit there”..
I said “ok sit there alone
or sit here on mommy’s lap”
She said “mommy’s lap”
Case closed J
Once in a while she would
stare again and points again outside.. Really it breaks my heart that actually she
was so eager to play, and I won’t let her.
But then.. no.. I must try
to teach her.. this is Church, we come here to pray.
You can play and run around
at any other time but not here.
There will be other challenges,
sometimes we will succeed and surely many times we won’t. There’s no golden
rule and probably there’s a different style for every family.
