I was really at a loss as to what I was going to write about next.
Yes, dreaded writer’s block had hit me like a tonne of bricks.
But a scroll through Facebook proved fruitful, for a change.
I came across an interesting post on the Kidspot page.
I think what caught my attention was the headline ‘Manage bad behaviour with a simple question’.
Or maybe it’s the constant echo of the word “no” reverberating through my brain that made me read on.
Now while Miss Izzie can certainly be challenging, at times, we haven’t quite reached bad behaviour territory…yet.
I’m hoping we never do (ha!).
But what I read is really not what I was expecting.
Essentially it seems the best way to deal with kids and bad behaviour is to take a step back and look at things from their perspective.
Rather than get angry when things go pear-shaped, (me in an instant on a normal day) put yourself in their shoes and try to imagine how they see the world.
When you sit back and think about it (provided you have time), there’s more often than not a reason why they acted the way they did.
So your darling child’s crayon version of Mona Lisa on the wall is not ideal or your freshly mopped floor now looks like the backyard has come inside.
Before you react, apparently it’s best to stop and try to see what’s really going on.
If we try to understand, rather than go with our first instinct of screaming blue murder, we might see that our offspring wanted to add some colour to what they perceived as a boring wall.
Or they were playing in the backyard so you could clean the house without them getting in the way.
But then didn’t realise they were indeed dragging the dirt in with them.
My inner cleaning freak is twitching at the thought of it all.
Ahhhhh, fun times ahead!
Let’s face it, there is no such thing as a perfect parent.
And if you think you are, good luck to you.
There’s no such thing as a perfect child either.
Although some people might argue that point….
But we all work hard to try to be the best parents that we can.
Our kids aren’t us (something I think we forget at times), they’re little people trying to find their own way in the world and trying to do the right thing, whether we actually see it or not.
So next time you get the chance, jump right into that giant ball pit or hop on the monkey bars, become the kid you once were or still long to be (just don’t hurt yourself).
You never know, you might just see the world through their eyes….