Memos From Your Child

A few months ago, I brought my baby to his pedia. He was sick at that time and we badly needed medical help. Unfortunately, his doctor was out of the country and had to resort with the proxy. While dancing him to sleep at the clinic, I came across something posted on the wall:

MEMOS FROM YOUR CHILD

1. Don’t spoil me. I know quite well that I ought not to have all I ask for. I’m only testing you.
2. Don’t be afraid to be firm with me. I prefer it; it makes me feel more secure.
3. Don’t let me form bad habits. I have to rely on you to detect them in the early stages.
4. Don’t make me feel smaller than I am. It only makes me behave stupidly “big”.
5. Don’t correct me in front of others if you can help it. I’ll make much more notice if you talk more quietly with me.
6. Don’t make me feel that my mistakes are sins. It upsets my sense of values.
7. Don’t protect me from my consequences. I need to learn the painful way sometimes.
8. Don’t be upset when I say “I hate you”. It isn’t you I hate, but your power to thwart me.
9. Don’t take too much notice of small ailments, sometimes they get me the attention I need.
10. Don’t nag me. If you do, I shall have to protect myself by appearing deaf.
11. Don’t make me rash promises. Remember that I feel badly let down when promises are broken
12. Don’t forget that I cannot explain myself as well as I should like. That is why I’m not always very accurate.
13. Don’t tax my honesty too much. I am easily frightened into telling lies.
14. Don’t be inconsistent. That completely confuses me and makes me lose faith in you.
15. Don’t put me off when I ask you questions. If you do, you will find that I stop asking and seek my information elsewhere.
16. Don’t tell me my fears are silly. They are terribly real and you can do much to re-assure me if you try to understand.
17. Don’t ever suggest that you are perfect or infallible. It gives me too great a shock when I discover you are neither.
18. Don’t ever think that it is beneath your dignity to apologize to me. An honest apology makes me surprisingly warm to you.
19. Don’t forget how quickly I’m growing up. It must be very difficult for you to keep pace with me but try, please.
20. Don’t forget that I love experimenting. I couldn’t get on without it, so please put up with it.
21. Don’t forget that I can’t thrive without LOTS OF LOVE AND UNDERSTANDING FROM YOU, but this I don’t have to mention, do I?

Father and son bonding (labing2)

Mama giving baby some love

      What I read from the wall made me ponder and read it several times. Everything written was undeniably true. Most parents take over their children's lives without even giving them a chance to grow and make mistakes. At least this gives us an idea that they are only human that needs to be guided, loved and most of all UNDERSTOOD. To all moms out there, hope you enjoy reading and be enlightened by this simple memo. :)