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Tell me about your day

My son is 3 years old. Has been attending playschool for a year and just moved to Nursery this June. Every day I try to find out what all he did at school and I fail miserably. Once in a while, I would manage a poem or a dance that was taught at school. I realized that he is not the type to tell his day's activities the way I want him to. I need to listen to him attentively to understand. We might be singing a rhyme and he would say, "Ma'am has taught me this at school". "I went and scared all the kids at school", he told me yesterday. I thought he was making up stories. Then his grandfather mentioned that he went to his school wearing his new, police uniform costume. I then joined the dots. He went to school dressed as a police officer and scared the kiddos.

Then I tried another approach. I started telling him about my day. What I did at work. What I ate. Where I went. I did not even realize that he was listening to me intently. Yesterday he insisted on me putting him to sleep. He asked me for a couple of stories and then he asked me something that made me really happy. He asked me about my day. He asked me to tell him what all I did since morning until I went to bed. He is just 3 years old. I am always amazed at how mature he seems at times.

I had recently started the habit of carrying some chocolates for my son in my handbag. That way I could surprise him when I got back home. He had started digging my bag as soon as I reached home.
Yesterday I had nothing for him.  I was expecting some tears and a tantrum. As expected, he reached out for my bag and opened the designated pouch to claim his sweet treat for the day. He pulled out my office id card, my phone, earphones. He was digging his hand into every corner of the pouch. He had a slightly sad moment that he did not find anything in the bag.

What happened next will blow your mind!!! (Click bait style)

He asked me why it was not there. I responded that there were no chocolates at my office.
He asked me the same question again. I repeated my response. "Why was it over at office?", he asked. I said everyone else had taken it by the time I reached. He said okay. Left the bag alone and continued playing. No fuss. No further questions. No complaints.

I was feeling guilty for giving him chocolates every time I went to my office. Yesterday I realized that it was not his bribe for letting me go. It was just a sweet treat and he could live without it.

Kids are far more mature than us. They respond well to logical reasoning than loud shouting.

Today I am all set to get back home in a couple of hours and tell my son about my day today.


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