13 insightful qualities my kids taught me.
Patience
You learn to be more patient when you are a parent. You are constantly put in situations where you hope it will be in and out, but you find yourself waiting and waiting.
Take a trip to the local grocery store for instance, before kids you could just go out with your wallet and get what you wanted and scram.But now with kids you first have to pack like you are going for a trip, have to take the stroller or carrier whatever is more convenient for what awaits for you at the grocery store.Once you get there you need to manoeuvre yourself quite well, avoiding aisles where there are toys cause you know you will get the same toy again just to avoid a toddler meltdown.To sum it all off ordering in saves lives.
You need to learn to be patient as I always say its the gift that keeps on giving.
They can't do anything they are not taught
You need to expose your kids to different environments to teach them how to handle themselves or the situations that may come at them.You can not expect your child to poop in the potty if you have never been consistent at teaching them to.There are some things they will learn on their own but for now we are the main teachers of our children.
Unique characteristics
Each child is different in their own way.Never compare or wish them to be alike.All you need to do is encourage their positive traits and guide them in the best way you can.My two kids are different in a great way Kyle is always smiling and with Kai you need to work a bit harder to make him laugh but they complement each other and blend well as a family.
They will do what they want when they want
There is no stated timeline for your baby to potty or to learn to sit.That is why the paediatricians will say by this time your baby should be able to grasp things, for example, however if he is not doing that yet give it some time kids develop differently.It is not a competition some kids learn to potty at 1 year and they are good to go but some need time.Enjoy the present moment they are in, soon they will be all grown up and not babies anymore.
You need to learn to have a thick skin
Kids will embarrass you one way or the other if they haven't yet, good for you!For the rest of us we have to come up with techniques of dealing with mishaps.They are raw, unfiltered cutie-pies. God bless them.One moment they will not eat a certain food. You get to visit a friend and he gets the specific food he doesn't eat at home. Guess who is asking for a second helping?
Google is your friend
Oh what a brilliant time we live in!The information age.Everything you need to find out or ask about you can just google it.Baby has a rash, google it.Baby is having trouble eating, google it.Just try not to diagnose your kids if you are not a medical practitioner.It is always important to have a final say from the experts, so if your child is not feeling too good, go to the doctor and have him checked out.
Genuine love
My kids are my biggest cheerleaders.You will realise that kids love you, no matter what you do. You may never do wrong by them.You want to know what, true unadulterated love looks like, look into your children's eyes.
Smarter than you think
Children love to learn that is why they will be sad when they miss a day at school or church.Always find ways to encourage learning at home by reading to them or finding other ways of educating them.With Kai and Kyle we enjoy reading to them and sorting puzzles together.If you are interested in ordering some flashcards Noperfectmum shopee has a wide selection to choose from.Children absorb information quickly.
You need to go down to their level
I always blow my top off when Kai gets up in the middle of the night and starts singing his ABCs or starts counting.I still struggle to understand why in the world he thinks that it is funny.But I am trying to get to his level, with my eyes half-opened I try to settle him back to sleep and tell him it's not morning yet.
Don't sweat the small stuff
Things are going to get broken, walls are going to get "Picassoed" on, the house is going to be a mess after just cleaning it, but you know what, live in that moment with your kids.They get to be kids only once. Don't ruin their innocence or fun too often a times that they wish to grow up too soon.They are going to grow up soon enough so for now, the house is a mess, you can just clean it up together. Kuda always says, "this is what a house that has kids looks like, don't worry about it."I am always throwing a fit, the house is a mess and always complaining am just learning to not sweat the little stuff.
No is the most used word
No!No!No! Yes believe me, this is the most used word in any household were there are toddlers.I used to laugh at some very good friends of ours.Oh my, they would say no to their son a hundred times. Only now, do we understand toddlers are just a ball of energy and you cant keep up with them really.So you need to shout "no don't do that" sometimes to steer them in the right direction.
Consistency
Wow!Kids thrive on routine and consistency.Feeding schedules, play times, napping and sleeping times need to be structured accordingly, else you are sure going to have a cranky baby.Children feel secure when they can predict what's going to happen next. I guess its their way of controlling a situation.
Never too early or too late to start teaching something
The first 1000 days for every child are crucial for development as this is a window of opportunity where the optimum health, growth and neurodevelopment across the lifespan are established.So it is important to teach your child proper nutrition and life skills that they will follow through till they are adults.
