The Nuances of Parenting
As strange as it sounds, holidays and short getaway trips have become unexpected classrooms where I find myself reflecting, and therefore learning, more about the profound art of parenting.
You see, these rare breaks from the day-to-day routine, those precious escapes from the monotonous rhythm of life, are opportunities to glimpse into new dimensions of my son's world. Any parent will testify that routines are like safe havens; they stabilise our children’s emotions, and they anchor our families. Yet when the anchor is lifted, even for something as joyous as a trip out of the country, the excitement in young Daniel can easily result in unexpected and sometimes undesirable behaviors.
Take our recent monthly escapade across the causeway, for instance. It was a journey filled with laughter, excitement, and two quite pressing revelations. The first was a poignant reminder that I must learn how to gently weave the threads of patience into Daniel's young heart. The second was a challenge: how to teach him the profound meaning of gratitude.
At the tender age of 2 years and 11 months, Daniel's excitement often gets the better of him, and who could blame him? However, his childlike insistence on having things his way can come across as "bossy." How to teach patience to such a young soul, I wondered? I want him to understand that patience is a lifelong virtue that even a child as young as he can begin to embrace.
Then there's gratitude. With a childhood brimming with love, joy, and abundance, Daniel certainly has more than what he needs. But how to make him understand that this abundance is the fruit of his parents' labor and the blessings from Allah? Teaching a young child how to be grateful when surrounded by plenty seemed a task as daunting as climbing the highest mountain.
The truth is, I often find myself without a clear solution to these ponderings, these parenting puzzles that both vex and inspire me. What I do know is that the persistent effort to teach and remind Daniel of these virtues is as important as love itself. In fact, sometimes it feels like that's all I can do.
We love Daniel very much. Our dreams for him are woven with threads of hope, love, and ambition. And as we journey through life's winding paths, the extension of that love is our unwavering desire to see him grow up with a good character.
As the clock chimed at 2am, we embarked on our monthly escapade across the causeway, our anticipation tinged with the quiet of the night. Yet, as I naively hoped for a few more stolen moments of sleep on the other side, Daniel awoke at the surreal hour of 5am, undeterred by our recent passport checks that punctuated his slumber.
Unfazed, we seized the day at the crack of dawn. On this occasion, I introduced my family to a quaint breakfast haven dishing out divine roti prata/canai. The sambal was a revelation, and the eatery bathed us in the welcoming warmth of its rustic kampong ambience.
Fast forward through a whirlwind of grocery runs, lunch at Midvalley, and a two-hour nap in the car to recharge, we find Mama steadfast in her routine of empowering Daniel to choose and buy his own storybook. His current fervor for reading, I believe, is a testament to her unwavering support and his love of books.
Our wandering feet led us to the Sultan Abu Bakar mosque, a majestic landmark we hadn’t initially planned to visit. Yet, once we stepped foot on its hallowed ground, we cherished the decision we hadn't known we would make.
A few shutter clicks later, we found ourselves indulging in a heartwarming dinner by the bay, a wholesome feast bookended by the day's last slice of sunset. Daniel concluded his day the way only children can truly relish - with the primal joy of sand sifting through his fingers and toes.
