For my car, I'm currently doing an average of 16km/litre and I pumped fuel about twice per month. It is already a decent record, I feel.
As Boyboy officially enters the terrible twos period, I'm prepared for bouts of temper throwing, screaming and kicking and biting and hitting etc...you name it. Comparing the pre-terrible twos period, I've always tried to 'thumb his nonsenses' down so that it does not escalate to a big eruption. Unfortunately as he approaches this phase, the battle plan has to change.
Theoretically, during this terrible-twos phase, toddlers are more aware of themselves and their social environment but of course, they are still more self-centered and everything is about ME (themselves). As such, certain parent-made rules or social norms, to them, are things which they cannot fully comprehend at this level and thus they (the 'rules') are perceived to be restrictive and unreasonable to them.
That made me think deeper about toddler discipline. Since we can't go head-on with them, we have to exercise patience by seeking cooperation and collaboration from them. For example, if Boyboy wants to play a toy though at that moment, we need to move to some place away from home, I would slowly and patiently explained to him that we need to go to that place to do something important and pa pa promised him we will play with that toy when we come home, and that he'll be a great help to pa pa and ma ma if he stopped playing. I would then use words like please and finally ending off with "Can we do it? Is it ok?" He will then reply "can or okay" since his views are being sought after and so he may feel more respected and that pa pa and ma ma won't just drag him out of his play-yard and shove him into the car (against his will). So patience is the basis for collaboration and collaboration is a possible key to a smoother terrible-twos year.
So far, it worked well for me for the past 3 days. Summoning all my mortal juices of patience and fatherly instincts in me, I had not much problems managing him. But alas, come the end of the 3rd day, all it takes is for a spitting food incident during feeding time... sorry I mean meal time, to trigger an eruption from me.
Perhaps (excuses for myself) I was not feeling well as I've got a back sprain, a headache, a sore throat and minor flu symptoms. It doesn't help that I couldn't bathe as a big thick ko yiok (medicinal plaster) is on my back which I cannot take down till dawn the next day. Anyway, I think it is a big achievement for me to have been so patient with the poor boy. Hopefully, through time and practice, I can upgrade my patience fuel tank to beyond 3 days. ;)
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