Mamma is at her wit's end. Some wicked goblins took away her cherubic, gurgling, happy go lucky toddler and left behind this scrawny Count-the-spare ribs-on me sullen, whiney, rude, defiant creature. Mamma wants to return to the hospital, packaging intact.
The brat pack in the park comprises children the brat's age being raised singlehandedly by maids since their mammas seem to be ectoplasmic creatures who appear in the dark of the night and succeed in spooking me out if seen without their make up. Consequently, the kids are raised by maids who dare not say no, discipline or do what I do with zero hesitation when absolutely called for, namely administer a sound one on the butt.
The brat, in grave danger of being trussed up and hung upside down like a plucked chicken by Cruella de Ville mamma, has wholeheartedly embraced the mannerisms and tone of speaking to mamma, like his friends use with the maids. Read, commanding.
Of course when mamma meets those ectoplasmic mammas she has yet to meet she needs to have a fingerwagging session with them about how they need to unplug their ears of accummulated ear wax when the fruits of their wombs speak with the hired help.
Therefore, we have situations where the brat, having divested himself of footwear, for running up the slide purposes, decides he needs to be shod again. Therefore calls in imperious manner, "Mamma. Mamma, Mamma!" At ever increasing pitch of voice. Mamma is smsing frantically on the jogging track and paying zero attention to anything that doesn't involve a fist fight and blood being drawn. Or a fall, god forbid and blood spilling.
"Mamma," yells the brat. "I'm callin yu. Why you nod coming?"
Mamma trots across to enquire the sudden need for mamma's presence. "Shoes pehenao," he commands imperiously, "Maine kaha shuz pehenao," looking up at mamma knowing there is an invisible line he's pushing somewhere. Mamma looks at him and his shoes and told him politely, not wanting to create a scene in a public situation, to put them on himself.
"Put my shuz on I said," repeated the brat in a tone of voice that gave rise to an immediate itch in mammas palm. Mamma calmly picked up the brat's shoes and sauntered towards the exit. The brat, flummoxed by this blatant disobedience bounded behind her squealing, "Pud my shuz on. Pud my shuz on."
Mamma silently climbed down the stairs that led up to the podium garden, shoes in hand. The brat followed. The tone of his voice changing swiftly from commanding to pleading. "Mamma please. Pud my shuz on. Eveyone will laffatme nanga feet."
Mamma stopped. Turned around. And helped him into his footwear. "Next time, remember, you need to use the magic word. What is it?"
A sheepish brat grinned winningly. "Sorry Mamma. I forgod to say please. You is nod angry? I sayed d magic word now. Now wot magic will happen?"
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12 opinions:
Very nice Kiran....I declare you my Parenting Guru from today!!
:)
I wonder if these kids parents dont realize that they're badly bevahed/missing out on parents attention?
When I was growing up too, I was surrounded by rich kids with their aayahs follwing them everywhere we went, and who spoke to them as though they have no self respect.
Ive realized that this attitude spills onto other aspects in life -- this spoilt, disrespectful, conceited air which just leads to badly brought up people who have no good values to impart on their own kids later.
:) Im glad Krish is in no such danger. (p.s. you shoud watch him around me, I have serious child kidnappnig tendencies specially when one as cute as Krish are encountered)
Sonia: Gosh, I'm no parenting guru. I'm a tough love mamma....
Ser: Please, will hand him over to you tied with a ribbon.
I tell you, I am so terrified of being mistaken for a maid one of these days down in the park. This missing moms are probably just plotting this....
oh well! one really doesnt need to be around all the time to teach right stuff! its about how we behave when we are around them!
we never speak to amma (Cubby's nanny) EVER in a rude tone. for one she is just that, and not really our servant who will bring us water when we get home!
Cubby is expected to say good morning and bye to her and behave with her just the way he does with us!
why is it so difficult to become an example you would want your kid to follow?! :(
but Brat came to his senses alright! show he is a good kid! :D
cheers!
abha
Abha: True. Its the tone the parents use with the maid that is reflected in the way the kids speak with them, and also, the fact that the parents dont seem to do a thing to teach these kids basic courtesy. Oh the brat so has a spanking overdue, I tell you.
Good going mama! You handled it well!
I so understand the itch. If only I was as patient. Of course, due credit to your brat for coming around.
So much to learn and I produced 2. Damn!
Ceekay: Thankie. Though I'm pretty terrified of the monster the brat is slowly morphing into given the company.
Anamika: Am sure you are patient. When you have two to deal with, patience is a given.
loved his last Q :)
K, your approach was perfect for stopping the morphing from a sweet brat into a monster brat. Now maybe just have a few conversations over how one should respect others no matter what their socio-economic status may be? Or point out other monster-brats when they behave that way (discreetly, or later at home) and talk about how they were being rude?
"children the brat's age being raised single handedly by maids since their "mammas" seem to be ectoplasmic creatures who appear in the dark of the night". It struck me that you used the word "mammas" and not "parents" who is responsible for such behavior of their children. why spare fathers from the blame? Is not this stereotype that frees fathers from child rearing responsibility and expect only mothers to stay at home and look after the kids?
Chox: Yup. He's still hopefully that some Hogwarts flying on broomsticks stuff will happen.
Cee: Yup. That is done. I am terrified of the fact that the peers continue to behave as badly.
Anon: Very valid point. I used mammas in this context as most of the mammas of the kids the brat plays with are not working moms. In fact, on weekends, the fathers do come down to the parks with their children but the mammas rarely. Call me old fashioned, but I still feel the primary parent is still and will continue to be the mother. Mothers are not 'expected to stay at home and look after the kids' definitely in today's day and age, and that was not what the post was about. I was raised by a working mother with no full time maid. I am a working mother myself. But I know that I am the primary parent responsible for inculcating values and discipline in my child. And if that is encouraging a stereotype, I'm okay with that.
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