After trying all sorts of discipline strategies on his son, SHAN WEE comes to the conclusion that some kids are just difficult to manage.
If you are out shopping at the supermarket and a three-year-old is face down on the floor, screaming and throwing a tantrum because he didn’t get a Milo, it is very easy to shake your head and mutter: “Obviously, not enough discipline from the parents.”
When you hear a story in the news about a teenager throwing a bicycle down a stairwell, it’s likely that most of us will remark: “That boy’s parents have a lot to answer for.”
But I’ve stopped making such statements.
In my own small attempt to make the world a more compassionate place, I’ve stopped judging parents on the behaviour of their children because, while the way you raise and discipline a child has a massive impact on the sort of person he will become – sometimes, kids can just be total horrors.
These days, if I see a kid causing headaches for the mum or dad, my reading is simply: That’s a difficult child. Over time, he may grow out of certain traits or mature in some respects but, right now, I can see, he’s a difficult child.
IT’S MY FAULT?
This story is from the January 2018 edition of Young Parents Singapore.
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This story is from the January 2018 edition of Young Parents Singapore.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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