Parenting Lesson - Patience

~ Posted on Friday, November 5, 2010 at 9:04 AM ~

I admit my tempers can easily flared up.. especially when I haven't eaten anything (happens quite a number of times) or when I'm trying to rush up things like paying online bills, rushing quotations/invoices/POs for hubby's business (I don't like to delay or leave things till last minute)...

And with a toddler now, I do find that one of the things I learned from Ben is: PATIENCE...

(*Image taken from Google search)

Hmm... or like this quote says:

"You can learn many things from children.  How much patience you have, for instance.  ~Franklin P. Jones"

Yup... take this picture below for example...

See my handsome and playful little man there happily riding his ride-on car, maneuvering amidst the trails of Mega Bloks destruction all around our bedroom floor. Maybe to you it's just a couple of block toys all over the floor, but being kind of the everything-must-be-in-its-place person, it looks like a disaster site to me.

Given normal circumstances, I would have happily just play along, pushing the blocks away from his path and cheering him on... but when situations are critical which makes my anger flares up, I would be either screaming to myself (inside my head of course!) and/or scolding Ben.

After reading a few awesome parenting books (Zig Ziglar's "Raising Positive Kids in a Negative World" and Dr. Jenn Berman's "SuperBaby"), I realised that children learns by observing their parents. What we do is what they will do.

So yes, as much as I hate to admit I have this weakness of tempers being easily flared up at particular situations, I do realised that I have to and am in the process of learning to be more patience... for the sake of my child.

So nowadays, when I see my little man with all his toys everywhere, I'll take a deep breath, tell myself this is nothing, don't get angry, just relax and join in the fun... and then when we're done, I'll teach him to clean up his toys and make sure the room is neat and tidy again. Read this quote below:

"You are worried about seeing him spend his early years in doing nothing.  What!  Is it nothing to be happy?  Nothing to skip, play, and run around all day long?  Never in his life will he be so busy again.  ~Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Emile, 1762"

I mean, why fuss so much with the mess when you see your child enjoying so much while playing? Right? And to that, I leave you with a Chinese proverb  and an inspirational quote to ponder about:

"One moment of patience may ward off great disaster.  One moment of impatience may ruin a whole life.  ~Chinese Proverb"

(*Image taken from Google search)

Comments (9) -

Catheryn  @ Pink Bibs

Same dilemma here.  Can't tolerate toys scattered all over the floor.  But I learn to agree and accept that clearing up the mess when you have a toddler at home is like shoving away the snow in the drive way when it is snowing heavily.  I am doing the same as you, take a deep breath.. let Isabelle play to her content.. help her clear up & at the same time teach her to pick up her toys too.

A messy house is a small deal but to have a happy child is a big deal.

Miki Chua

yes i'm normally angry with things i cannot control and especially i'm tired like i just change him then he pee, then i change again he poo. (anyway he's hving diarrhea now lah) but i know i should be angry coz he didn't do it on purpose. *patience* hum~~~~~~~ learning process..

regarding the toys all arnd.. i read this book no-cry discipline,the author mention something i quite agree. now u're angry with the toys arnd. later when they grow up, u'll miss all the mess. so why get angry over the little mess? *cheers* hope this makes u feel better and appreciate the mess.. hehehe..

Jenny @ I'm a full-time mummy

Hi Catheryn & Miki!
Yes, agree agree, why get angry over a little mess? Cheers and thanks for your comments! Laughing

WeiYun

My children have definitely increase my patience level, and not to mention difficult clients, too.  Haha!  But that's another topic Smile

Jenny @ I'm a full-time mummy

Hi Wei Yun!

Hahahah... I think working mothers have to manage their patience levels more... because of the stress at work, from colleagues, boss, clients, vendors and so on...

nana

omg..i did just the same whenever my son starts playing/having fun with my stuff e.g when hes trying to help me with laundry, when he doing some art piece, or when he wanted to help washing my dishes. instead of getting angry i join him doing the mess. it helps alot keeping up with my tense level as full-time mom.

btw...i havent been visiting ur blog so long...what a very nice one u have now Smile

Jenny @ I'm a full-time mummy

Hi Nana!

Thank you for your comments! You know the saying "If you can't beat them, you might as well join them" Tong Thank you for your compliments on my blog, glad to hear you enjoy your visit here! Looking forward to see you here again! Smile

Lauren @ Hobo Mama

You really hit an important point: that our kids model the patience they see (or don't see) in us. Thank you for that reminder!

And I love all your quotes. That first one from Rousseau brings a tear to my eye — lovely!

Amy Phoenix

I love the quotes and whole heartedly agree, especially with the one about waiting with a good attitude. Taking a breath to slow down, check in, and appreciate can make such a difference in how we experience the ups and downs of parenting. Thank you for adding this post to the NPN Blog Hop! Smile

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