Responses..

Yesterday varsha wanted to make her own milk to drink. I was busy getting ready to go out so varun poured out the milk for her. She started putting bournvita into the glass and 'plop', I heard the sound. There was a cry,'Mummy, the milk is spilt'. I came to the kitchen and saw the milk spilt all over the counter so we got a cloth and wiped up the milk. Varsha looked dull and said,' I keep spilling everytime' I just told her,'These things happen'. She kept quiet and after five minutes said,'I want milk'. Varun poured her another cup of milk and she immediately took a spoon,put bournvita..held on to the glass mixed and drank it. She said,'Mistakes happen but it is allright, I can do it'. I could see now that children have the inherent confidence in themselves, the belief in themselves seems to decrease or suppressed due to an adult's response to a certain situation or action. If I had offered to do it for her, I would have sent her the message that she cannot do it and she would continue to have that belief that she cannot do such an such thing.
Our responses if come with awareness may help our children to believe in themselves and also believe that if mistakes happen they are able to accept and go forward from there.