Author: smartandpracticalparenting

I have been getting cranky everytime i go home from work. I think it is the stress from work that is doing it. I have been trying not to get grumpy as i go home. Lastnight, after my son took a shower, he said:

son: do u have a lot of annoying patients today?

i: what do u mean?

son: i just thought u have difficult patients…u look tired…

i: there will always be annoying people in our lives but it is up to us if we will make ourselves annoyed or not…

son: that is right! but annoying kids are ok because they are kids, they dont know what they are doing, adults know that they are being annoying, right? that is hard, right?

i: son, kids will never be annoying…u might think that kids are annoying because i tell u not to annoy me at times but it is my fault…i just get too tired from work that i dont want to be bothered… kids are gift from God…they will never be annoying…

son: oh, i didnt know that…

While i was reading a book, my son said something heartbreaking to me…

son: mom, i know u like quiet kid, i am not really a quiet kid…i am a fun kid…i like to move around and have fun all the time…

i: why do u say that? i know u are not a quiet kid…u like to talk and move around…

son: but i know u want a quiet kid…i just am not that kid…

i: i already know that…and i love u for being a fun kid…sometimes, i want u to be a quiet kid because u ask a lot of questions— difficult ones—- and i am already tired from work etc and i dont want to be thinking on how to explain things so it is easier for u to understand….u normally ask difficult/surprising questions…

son: it is because i am a curious kid…i like to know why and how things work…

i: i know…it is actually very good questions…i love the questions…it makes me think most of the time…however, there are times when i get annoyed and frustrated…

son: i know… it is ok mom…i understand… we just have to understand each other…after all, that is what family is all about…u said that to me all the time…

My son loves the solar system. He loves to go to the planetarium and anything that deals with space and the universe… A few minutes ago, i asked him why he likes it… he answered…

son: it is a lot of discovery, it is always a surprise…when u discover something, it doesnt stop…u have to discover more then more…it is like infinity…

i: i know…but isnt it frustrating? u cant really find the real answer…

son: it is fun! it is challenging, it surprises us… u realize that what u think before is true or not true…like Pluto…u thought is was a planet..it is not! it is a dwarf planet…

i: i dont think i like it… with all the changes and discoveries…

son: i love it! it is like growing, u learn something each time…u change ur thinking all the time…it is kind of cool to me…i am excited with the new discoveries…imagine! if they discover life in saturn! 

I was surprised one day when all of a sudden my son said…

son: patience patience baby…u really need it here on earth…

i: why are you saying that?

son: i am teaching baby to wait because she cant wait…when she wants something, she wants it right away…it doesnt work that day…in life u have to learn to wait…

i: wooahh! who said that to u? where did u learn that?

son: i learned it myself, i noticed that we always have to wait…anywhere! we wait in line at the grocery store before we pay, we wait to be able to go into the bathroom sometimes, we wait to go to a place like crayola factory because there is a big line, we wait to be able to have a ride in the water park, we even wait in church…we wait in line when we do communion…

i: wow! i am amazed at you…very insightful and observant… u are right about that son…we have to learn how to wait…it is really an important thing to learn in life so u will be happy and content….so how is baby? is she learning how to wait?

son: i think so but it is hard for her…maybe it is hard for a baby to wait…she can only wait upto 3 counts…maybe…after a few days, she can wait up until 10 counts….

i: maybe…thank u son….good teaching patience to ur sister….

While we were at the store, my son all of a sudden said:

son: wow! toys! do u know why toys are made?

i: of course! so u can play with it and learn something…

son: yes but to me it was made for 3 reasons…

i: what are the 3 reasons?

son: first reason is to make somebody comfortable…

i: what do u mean? i dont get it…

son: it makes the kids or any person comfortable and happy…it gives us comfort…the 2nd reason is to make u not bother anybody…what im trying to say is…if a kid is playing with a toy then the parents are not bothered and the parents can do important things…

i: but u dont bother me…i do tell u sometimes not to disturb me but that is when i manage our bills/schedules and if im on the phone…

son: i know that, u do tell me that…the third reason is so that a person has something to do…the toys keep a person occupied…if you are not doing anything and u want to spend ur energy with something..u can spend ur energy on toys by playing with it…those are the 3 reasons why toys are made…maybe there are more but for now…that is it for me…

i: (jokingly said) am i buying u a toy then?

son: oh no! thank u… i can play with baby or u or dad…i have toys at home…i dont need more…

While we were in church today, my son said:

son: oh no, i forgot to make a card for “tatay” (means father in our language)

i: that is ok, u already said happy father’s day to him when u woke up this morning…

son: i know, i know but i was planning to make a card for him…

i: it is ok, i dont think he will mind…

son: u are right! i do have a gift for him, it is more precious than the card…

i: i didn’t know u have a gift for him…

son: my gift is more than enough…it is my LOVE..i tell him that everyday…

i: that is so sweet…that is more important than anything else…

I received a txt from my mom saying that my friend/godfather passed away. The news was shocking to me… I am really saddened by this news. ..The only thing that i can offer is prayers…In as much as i want to go and visit him and pay respect on his last day here on earth, i couldnt because it is way too far from where i am. North America is way too far from Asia, it will take 24 to 36 hours to get there…

I would like to take this time to say these things to u…

• thank u for being a friend…although, u were being feared by most because of ur strict and serious demeanor, u were so nice and thoughtful to me and my family…
• thank u for teaching me on how to handle money…u made millions because of ur perseverance and being savvy with money…
• thank u for making me realize that it is ok to be blunt as long as u are honest…u were always feared because of ur bluntness but behind that hard exterior, u were very generous and u always have a heart for those people in need…
• thank u for showing me the value of generosity, u were always generous to the church
• thank u for showing me the value of books… u always tell me of the books u have read and u always make recommendation about what to read and not…
• thank u for introducing to me the value of travelling…u were always encouraging about going to different places…
• thank u for sending gifts to my husband and i despite the distance…despite being in a different continent, u never fail to remember us…

Please know that u are and will always be remembered… I know that u are happy to where u are right now…