Don't give the best!

Don't give the best!

Yes, you read it right! Don't give your best, yet.

If receiving best is their way of life, then they wouldn't have a chance to taste the ordinary, the saltless, the messed up food, the burnt roti, the spicy hot sambar, etc..

The spouse or the kids don't know our value, if we keep on giving our best. So, in a week, make ordinary food thrice, better food twice and save the best for Sunday. So that the Sunday will be remembered and will be shared when they grow big.

I also suggest they should taste food outside home, to realise what mom cooks is the best and yummy food!

The same goes to the spouse. Don't be your best all the days. Let them search for the keys, the wallet, the mobile or the glasses. Don't be ready before he asks!

You can be the best but if you push yourself constantly, then its stress!

Let kids walk.
Don't take them on a bike or auto or cab every time they step out. Let them taste hunger and thirst too. Let them experience the leg pain. We have turned out fine even though we walked a lot as kids. If they don't know the pain, they can't realise what they are enjoying!

It's also a parents job to make kids experience these.

When waiting for the auto outside the temple for few minutes, my daughter got restless and asked me, when is the auto coming?! My son wanted to be carried on. Come on guys, can't you wait for few minutes?! Just then they remembered how much work they have to practise at home, to draw, to color, etc..

My mom would have left me and gone home, had I behaved like this!

I was thinking "Am I taken for granted"? What is that making them so demanding?! I wonder..
Few things came up to my mind.

Don't put them on a pedestal.
I shouldn't be making only what they want for breakfast but should make them eat what's made at home, even when I know very well they don't like it! If they don't, its fine to be hungry!

I let them choose their dresses to wear after school, but sometimes its fine to pick one for them.

May be, I should walk with them for a distance before taking an auto!

Make them carry their lunch baskets.

I kept on telling them to clean up the toys after play but they didn't! Now my action of keeping those up the shelf is making them miss it and they assure me to clean up.

Whenever kids say I'm bored, I tell them, Be bored! Think how to engage yourself before handing over puzzles or activities. So many creative ideas can come when you're bored!

Let them make their own puzzles and crosswords, imagine, pretend play and do whatever! Wheat flour can become play dough, cups and tumblers call for a tea party!

Let's make it enjoyable for them and little lesser load on us! Make them do the chores like placing stuff back in their place, clothes for laundry, putting their lunch box for washing, etc..its tough to bring these to practice but on persevering, we can.

This job in parenting is a very thin line, which can make us a hero if we give what all they ask and can turn us into unfriendly mom, if we give only that's right for them!

 Nevertheless, moms need to do that, like pouring down the bitter kashayam into their tiny mouths, for lasting benefits.

So, save the best, for the movie needs to be more interesting than the trailer :)

--Vishnupriya