Parenting

Every single person who has a child knows that parenting is the hardest job you can ever have in life. Top it all off with the fact that we learn as we go...it's all trial and error. Sure, we can read, take parenting classes, etc., but when it comes down to it, there is nothing that can truly prepare us for the most important job we can have. Then you have other parents that make things even harder for your kids.

Take this morning for example when I took Danielle to the library. There are a whole bunch of soft type chairs (i.e. Dora, Diego, Princess, Spiderman, etc.). So Danielle is playing with the Diego one and along comes this boy (2 1/2) and just grabs it and takes it away from her. Since his mom was there one would think that she'll do what most normal parents would do - have him give it back. Danielle got a little upset and came to me. So I said to my little Angel, "Yes honey, I know you were playing with that" to show her empathy and she quickly moved on. This boys mom then takes about 5 minutes to have the boy return the chair to Danielle. Hellooooooooo? Are you kidding me? Of course at this point she was into something else. Regardless, we said thank you and continued our business. A few minutes later Danielle went and got the chair again since this boy was now sitting on the Spiderman one. Yep, of course this boy then prances over and takes it yet again. Thankfully Danielle just moved on and didn't seem to care.

However, she got touchy when I was showing empathy to Danielle again so a brief exchange between this so-called mom and I then followed. She had the nerve to say that he did give it back and got all defensive about how she's not a bad mother (Okay lady, you said it - not me). I just had to laugh when she said, "Well, I tried to tell him". Are you kidding me? Holy crap lady, we all know who runs that household.

She was quite embrassed when her boy then grabbed the Spiderman chair away from another little boy. Let's just say that she picked up and left fairly quickly after that.

I am by far not a perfect parent and make my share of mistakes. I completely understand that at the age this boy and Danielle are, that 'sharing' is something they are just incapable of really understanding mentally. Regardless, one would think that it is our job to teach them now...not get upset with them when they have trouble with the concept, but to keep teaching them this important life skill nonetheless.

I for one am very proud of my Danielle for handling the whole thing like the champ that she is!


--- Dalia