This evening as I was running the bath Alby headed out of
the bathroom and straight for the stairs. I hadn’t closed the stair gate and so
was just a step behind him. Swinging and locking the gate in his face, Alby
promptly burst into tears.
Before you ring social services I would like to mount a
defence – albeit a rather feeble and raw one.
The tears weren’t caused by shock, or pain. Alby saw me coming and at no point did I or
the stair gate make contact with him.
Rather these tears were due to him not getting his way.
This isn’t the first time such a dramatic and sudden
outburst has happened. Just this morning
I was cried at for removing a pencil from his hand. The other day when I was rushing to get out
of the house I removed Alby from his toys and quickly learnt that such was not
what he wanted.
Before Mark starts to panic and puts his name down for
correctional school, I would like to highlight that the crying is very short
lived (tears usually haven’t had time to form before he is pacified), but
clearly Alby’s sense of self is growing.
The books recommend that we respond to tears with
understanding. (It seems that the stiff
upper lip of British past is being challenged by a more emotionally sensitive
school of parenting which I generally agree with). No doubt my words are currently falling on
uncomprehending ears, but I try to reassure myself with reminders that I’ve
stuck to my guns and one day he will understand (he may have a full on tantrum
and slam a door in my face, but he’ll understand).
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