A matter of trust

 Cycling is something little S enjoys with his friends and with us - his parents. A few months ago little S requested big S to fill his bicycle tires with the pump acquired recently. A distracted and questionably overconfident big S duly obliged. However, much to little S's consternation big S missed checking the air pressure regulator resulting in a big bang - i.e. tire burst. 

Cut to today, I requested big S to get the air filled in my car as the low tire pressure indicator had been on for a couple of days and as I was caught up in some other chores that seem to define life at times. Big S obliged and was about to head out for the same. Little S, after a moment of pause and contemplation remarked to me in private, "Don't have too much confidence in him to fill your tires. You do know he burst my cycle tires while trying to fill them up!"

Often it is what things people do or seem to do that governs our trust and feelings towards them as a protective mechanism to prevent disappointment and heartache. Over time as adults it almost becomes a second nature that we don't bat an eyelid at our convenient perception of others and their nature/capabilities. However a second chance is definitely needed ! Hearing a child raise a question makes our more cognizant of our own biases/opinions. Don't you agree? 

Different Strokes

So I try to teach S coloring / art on and off as he is interested in it. Today we were working with watercolor pens and I took time to explain strokes, light to dark variation etc. After that I asked him to continue coloring based on what I told him. Realized in a little bit he was on another track and doing something else. I asked him why he wasn't doing what I told him. His response "I want it to be different amma". I just chuckled, trust the toddler to want to do something different. After all confirming is boring and standing out is more colorful indeed!

Banana is long

Usually the husband asks me, as I leave to work, to have a banana. I would invariably say that I will have it as work as I am running late. Little S had witnessed this scene often.

So, one busy Monday morning as I was rushing (already behind schedule), the husband asked me to have a banana. I was just beginning to protest politely when little S raised his hand and went "Listen to me Appa. Listen to my words. The banana is very long. If amma eats the banana now it will take a lot of time and she will be late." Our jaws dropped on hearing his logic and my heart melted as I now had some one to defend me. Proud mama of the love that I get ! 

Teddy bear goes with me

Today S wanted to get his teddy bear ornament to bed while I didn't. He also wanted to be carried to bed. I wanted to do neither but was okay with carrying him to bed if he left the teddy bear in the living room. You see one more teeny tiny toy in the bedroom sounded scary . Given this mind set and under the presumption that I was an expert negotiator I told him I would carry him to bed if he left the teddy bear ornament in the living room side table. The outcome was beyond my imagination. S thought for a minute and then told me to stay where I was (in the living room) . He ran to the bedroom and left the ornament on the bedside table. Once that was done he scurried back to the living room demanding to be lifted and carried all the way to the bedroom. So he got his way on both counts for a little effort on his part. Mother on the other hand was left a little humbler and a lot more amused. The picture below is of the teddy bear in the bedroom and surely I don't blame him wanting to keep the cute little thing close 😊.