Little Rascal has always been delicate when it comes to being told off. You don’t even have to say “no” some days and her lip quivers. Other days she will grin at you when you say no. But when you physically remove her from a situation she isn’t meant to be in, the waterworks really start. I can’t decide whether she is hurt that she has done something she wasn’t supposed to do, hurt that she cannot do the thing she wishes to do or embarrassed that she’s in trouble. Whatever the reason, the age of ONE hasn’t stopped this phenomenon.
Just today, we were at a 1st birthday party. There are many of these to attend at this time of year as all the mums from the mother’s group all have their babies turning one too. She was playing happily with a toy when another mum with a much younger baby, just sitting up, came and put her child right near Rascal. This wasn’t a problem at all and Rascal was excited to have another baby sitting right near her. She started off patting the baby on the head. I said, “That’s right – we are gentle with babies.” She grinned at me in a “I’m such a good girl” way. This continued for a few more seconds. I then noticed that the pats were becoming less pats and more slaps. So I crouched down next to her and repeated my first suggestion of being gentle with babies. She looked at me with innocence again and promptly reached out to gouge the baby’s eye out.
I reacted with lightning speed and grabbed her arm, just before the gouge made contact, saying “No darling, we don’t do that to others.” Her reaction to this was emotive. She began to wail – loudly. Of course all the other mums at the birthday party looked over to see what had happened and I reassured them everything was fine. I picked her up when she didn’t immediately get over the situation. She continued to wail. By this stage, the other baby, who’s eye I had valiantly saved from a sure injury, decided that something sad must be happening. She too, then began to wail at a high volume.
Between the two of them, it was quite a sound. The other mum came and got her baby and I assured her that no injury had occurred, just sympathy or fright, I couldn’t tell which. They continued their duet of tears for about 5 minutes, which, when you are waiting for a child to stop crying, is quite a while! One would back off and then hear the other and the start again and vice versa. They both sounded so sad! When the last tear was shed, both bubs were able to play once again and we all moved on.
But the fact still remains. Rascal cannot handle being told off! What will she be like in school? If someone tells her to stop talking, will she burst into tears? I must admit, if I think back, I felt like crying when I got in trouble at school, so she probably will too! Oh well, I have a delicate little soul. At least I don’t have a hard, heartless one. I’ll take my delicate soul any day!
Libby :)
I reacted with lightning speed and grabbed her arm, just before the gouge made contact, saying “No darling, we don’t do that to others.” Her reaction to this was emotive. She began to wail – loudly. Of course all the other mums at the birthday party looked over to see what had happened and I reassured them everything was fine. I picked her up when she didn’t immediately get over the situation. She continued to wail. By this stage, the other baby, who’s eye I had valiantly saved from a sure injury, decided that something sad must be happening. She too, then began to wail at a high volume.
Between the two of them, it was quite a sound. The other mum came and got her baby and I assured her that no injury had occurred, just sympathy or fright, I couldn’t tell which. They continued their duet of tears for about 5 minutes, which, when you are waiting for a child to stop crying, is quite a while! One would back off and then hear the other and the start again and vice versa. They both sounded so sad! When the last tear was shed, both bubs were able to play once again and we all moved on.
But the fact still remains. Rascal cannot handle being told off! What will she be like in school? If someone tells her to stop talking, will she burst into tears? I must admit, if I think back, I felt like crying when I got in trouble at school, so she probably will too! Oh well, I have a delicate little soul. At least I don’t have a hard, heartless one. I’ll take my delicate soul any day!
Libby :)
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