When they know more than we know…

When Iman and I were walking into school today, we saw a few pigeons pecking food off the ground, so I enthusiastically pointed out…

“Look Iman, look at the birdies eating!”

She looked over at them and then said to me…

“Mama, those are pigeons.”

Back to School

We're back to work tomorrow.

Sniff sniff. Vacation went by too quickly (as they usually do). I have to work for 2 straight months for another proper vacation.

Every time I say this in front of Omair, he says... "Do you hear yourself? I have to wait 12 months before I can take any time off"

Muaaaahhhaaaaaaa

That's why I don't do any other job.

But still... let's stay focussed, I go back to work tomorrow...

sniff sniff

Holiday Fun

Eid is over. The majority of the chaos has died down. Luckily we've got extended holidays at school, which means that there are a few more days off before I go to work. I'm LOVING the time off. I've watched a movie I've had on hand for ages (haven't been able to get to it). Iman and I have been creating all kinds of fun stuff with her "Play Doh" kit that we got her for Eid. It's been relaxing and fun.

We've got a fancy Eid dinner tonight, and then a kiddie birthday on Friday. But that's all part of relaxing fun... meeting friends and eating good food :)

I'm going to miss all this when school starts again next week.

'Tis the Season to be Jolly...

It's the end of Ramadan and Eid is right around the corner. The streets are full of hustle and bustle. People are shopping, shops are sparkling with glitterly lights and colors. There are HUGE lines at the wrapping counter. The air if FULL of the festive season.

We've already got most of the presents wrapped. I've got goodies on the stove since morning (makes the house smell YUM!!). Iman is so excited, she's been bouncing off the walls! I put mehndi on her hands, so she's walking around with her hands open wide, making sure we don't get near them. It's her first mehndi experience, last year we thought she was too young for it.

Eid is in the air. There are plans being made to visit people. Invitations being sent out ...

*long deep sigh*

It's my favorite time of year.

Eid Mubarak Everyone!

Stickler for discipline

I was at a friend's house today and she told me that she felt that I was a "very strict" mom. Now I know this takes a lot of courage, because you never want to tell your friend's off for what they are doing, so I'm going to give her credit for taking a stand for her beliefs... BUT

and this is a BIG BUT...

She doesn't have kids, and although everyone's opinion matters, we should only do the parenting we feel is right for us.

Sometimes I feel like I am too harsh with Iman, but then I remind myself that what I'm doing is for her best. If I lay down certain ground rules in her life, it will only benefit her (and me) in the future. Yeah sure, I believe in having fun, getting messy and giggling. I'm not the kind of mom that she can't laugh or be silly with, but there are certain boundaries that we need to set for our kids. It's the only way to ensure a secure future.

So even though I applaud my friend's courage to confront me, I still have to say the same thing... I believe in what I am doing, and it may not seem right to the next person, but it works for me and my little one. And as long as I am satisfied with the way that I am raising my child, I think I am doing a great job.

Switching roles

When I went to pick up Iman from daycare, I was greeted by the KG section principal who asked to "see me" in her office. I thought it was something routine so I told her I would get Iman and then drop in.

When I went to the Nursery, Iman's nanny said she needed to talk to me. Now I started to panic... Luckily Iman was right in vision, so I knew she wasn't in immediate danger or hurt. The nanny calmly informed me that there was an "incident" with Iman. She had scratched 4 kids at school that day. Then she strategically showed me the scratches on all four kids before I could even speak in Iman's defense.

oops

Those of you that are religious readers of the blog should know that Iman is a team player. She doesn't hit, or fight or even remotely express any kind of aggression, so this was WAY out of my league. Usually she's on the receiving end of scratches and bruises, and I can handle that.

But this was just down right out of character. As it turned out, the kids were all painting, and Iman wanted to show them how, and when they didn't listen, she went on a wild rampage of injuring anyone who refused to listen.

So I took it all in, apologized, and headed over to the principal's office, knowing that I was about to hear the same thing again. Sure enough, she repeated the story.

Then she asked me to "speak to" Iman at home. She told me that we need to explain boundaries to her and encourage her to play with others without physically hurting them. I totally understood what she wanted me to do, but I didn't understand how I could ask a 2 year old to remember what she did at school that day and then ask her never to do it again.

So I nicely told the principal that I would "speak" to Iman, but the next time they had an "incident" they should just take Iman out of the situation and as her to sit away from the other in a "time out". Kids her age learn best when they are disciplined right away (not a few hours later). In response, the principal insisted that I have the conversation anyways.

So later that afternoon in our house...

Me: Iman what did you do at school today?
Iman: Jumping and coloring and painting
Me: Oh, that sounds like a lot of fun, did you have fun?
Iman: Yes!
Me: What else happened?
Iman: Fun happened
Me: Iman, did you play with Salma and Mohammad today?
Iman: Yes, we do painting and jumping
Me: Oh that's nice, Iman were you a good girl? Did you share?
Iman: Iman good girl.
Me: Iman, Mary Lou (the nanny) told me that you hit Salma and Mohammad, what happened?
Iman: Yes, I hit Salma
Me: Why? Why did you hit your friend?
Iman: I hit my friend
Me: Listen sweetie, we don't hit people. Would you like it if mama hits you?
Iman: No
Me: When you hit someone, they get sad. Do you want Salma to be sad?
Iman: No
Me: So will you hit Salma?
Iman: Yes

See, I told you. You can't discipline a 2 year old after the fact, they don't get it.

What is "finished"?

The magical power of vocabulary. Children pick up new words and their meanings instantly. Good words, bad words, all kinds of interesting words.

But there are some words which they learn to say... but refuse to learn what they mean.

In our house, Iman refuses to learn the meaning of "finished".

No matter how I try to explain, she just doesn't understand why things end. For example, a show on TV that she's really into. When it's over... I tell her it's finished, but instead, she says "not finished, I want more". When we can't bring it back for her, she throws a tantrum in response.

When I drive through a tunnel, she gets really excited, but when the tunnel is "finished"... same response.

When she's at the playground... when she's in the bath... when she's at a friend's house, when she's doing just about anything...

Although the tantrums pass, the concept of "finished" just doesn't register. I know she's at the age where "letting go" is really hard, but it's so difficult to move on with our lives when we have a two year old who wants to hold on to everything.