Mothers Day just passed. Mothers are celebrated with enthusiasm. We acknowledge how much our moms did for us.
As kids we look up to our parents as the source of guidance for all matters. They always have all the answers. Even as adults, mom is the first person we think of when we need urgent personal advice. She always says the right thing.
But you know what, as aĀ mom, I now know some things I didn’t know earlier. Your child thinks you already know the answers. But what he doesn’t know is that you didn’t know the answer till the moment he asked the question. A parent learns on the job every second of the day. This is first time for the parents as well. They have never faced the situations that children create everyday. They take new decisions every day. They say things that they have never had a chance to think through. Many a time, they make mistakes. Kids assume the parents have experience in every thing they can imagine. That is a myth that all parents are able to project all their lives š
A lot of times, when its the first time for the kid, its also the first time for the parents.
Did I know what to do, when my daughter thought her world was about to end because her friends were so fickle? Hardly. I swung between anger at her friends, compassion for my child and the desire to tell her that this is just a lesson of life. As I stood there, indecisively, my child calmed down, came and hugged me and whispered, “Thanks mom, you are so understanding. I thought you would be angry at me for being immature.”
Got some undeserved credit for parenting.
Did I know what to do when one afternoon, my son turned to me in a state of some agitation and said he needed to confirm something his friend had told him. It disturbed him so much that he couldn’t wait to get home and clarify with me. And then gazing at me with his honest eyes, he asked me to explain a term that made me, a mother of three, blush. No, I had no idea, as a parent, how much to explain and how much to hide so that his innocence was maintained. And theĀ hard part was keeping a straight face while thinking. So while he looked on at his parent for guidance, the parent struggledĀ on the spot.Ā And then making it sound as scientific and as boring as possible, I gave him the correct information with a bland expression. Ā No big deal for me son.
Another surprise test of parenting passed.
I think on children’s day we must thank our kids for their constant trust in us. For forgiving and forgetting easily as we blunder through our job. For being such kind fans and for patiently waiting for us to gain experience so we can do it right. Thanks kids!