Don't Sweat The Small Stuff

Lest people think that my children are angels, I can state categorically that they are not. They are humans :) I realise that my posts here tend to focus on the positives and it is timely to provide some balance here. So, today I am going to write about those niggling things that they do that can get on one's nerves.

As you read, especially those who know my three sons well, you might think that, aiyah, what's the big deal. I agree it's no big deal. It's just that when it happens frequently, well, it does test your patience.

Son No 1 is a son that any mother can be proud of. But when it comes to time management, there's much to improve. He knows we are going out and we tell him repeatedly we are leaving at 10:45am, and at 10:45am, he's still not dressed. Or he has not brushed him teeth. Or, worse, he has to finish his mission, referring of course to some computer game that he is playing. We all know this bad habit of his and we have highlighted to him that it is not good to have people waiting for him. Sometimes, he tries. But at other times he is too dreamy, gets carried away by what he is doing, or simply overestimates the speed at which he can accomplish tasks like bathing. There's still much to work on.

With Son No 2, he has this bad habit of touching everything that he sees. We know babies learn by sensorial exploration but Son No 2 is 7 years old. Walking across the carpark, he would drag his forefinger along the dirty dusty cars, nonchalantly studying the trace that he leaves behind. In the bakery, he would feel the buns on display with his fingers. In the supermarket, he would poke at the fruits and fish. And how do you think this frazzled mom would react? I know his actions are probably not deliberate, to some extent, it's instinctive, but it's time he learns to have better control of his habits.

Some children are squealers, others are not. Son No 3 belongs to the former category. When he gets excited, like in a game of catching, he would squeal at the highest pitch possible at the top of his voice. This is not an age-related issue because in a similar situation, at the same age, Son No 2 would just be giggling and laughing while Son No 1 would just beam happily. Son No 3's squeals are not pleasing to the ear. And I do get annoyed. I can't help it.

I know we are not supposed to sweat the small stuff (I have read the book) and I know what I have illustrated above is smaller than small, punier than puny. It's just that I am this imperfect human too. Nevertheless, I will try my best to "become more patient" (rule #13), "imagine the people in your life as tiny infants" (rule #27), "see the innocence" (rule #36), "breathe before you speak" (rule #55) and "count to ten" (rule #63).