How to handle an active child

Hye guys. Like I said, March is a busy month for me. I am trying to update regularly though it is a struggle. Many of my friends and those who know me, tried contacting me these few days with no answer from me. I am so sorry as I really have no time to reply. Some of the mesaages or fb messages, I did read but didn't reply. For this whole week, I am having a practical at one of TASKA in Kepong. I have been staying in Putrajaya way too long that the ordeal of driving to KL daily is taking a toll on my energy.

Anyway, there are so many thing that I discover during this period of time.

I discover that most standard taska doesn't meet my requirement for hygiene. It is not because they are dirty. They are clean but a normal person doesn't understand hygiene and prevention of contamination as well as a doctor would. 

I am in a taska from the moment the child arrives until the time she goes back.

I see the routines and the flow of classes.

Though I have my own idea and way of how I want my school to be, it helps to compare with others. Take the good and leave the bad, right?

Anyway, I don't want to talk about this. 

I actually want to share about Isabella.

She is 1 year and 4 months which mean active girl. Isabella is way more active than any of the kids here.

She can speak way better than a 2 and half year child in this Taska. Proud mommy.

An active child is a clever child. Sadly that means she climb too high and copy adults way more.

Last week, after she spilled the a bottle of cooking oil on the floor for the second time, I thought that's it. I went to her and said sternly,'what did you do? Which hands spilled the oil??'

She kept quiet and just stared at me. I took one of her hand and said,'this hand spilled the oil' and snap I hit it with my hand. It was hard enough to be a warning but no so hard that it would hurt that much.

The next time she spilled a bottle of mineral water in my car, I did the same thing. This time, she knew what was coming so she shoved one hand to me and suddenly changed her mind, used the two hands to hug her body and said sternly,'No!'

Her babysitter told me yesterday,'When Akak said baby no baby, Isabella suddenly came to me and showed two hands. Suddenly she said No and hid her hands behind her'.

My friend, a kindergarten teacher taught me yesterday to give her a timeout when she does something wrong. Make it for a minute and more according to her age. Because Isabella is 1 year and 4 months, her time out should be 1 minute and 4 seconds.

After that, she can come out of the time out zone and I have to remind her sternly that she shouln't do that because.... Then she has to say sorry. End with a hug.

I can say 'I love you but you cannot do that because..'

I thought Isabella she might not get the concept yet because she is too young. Anyway there is no harm in trying.

There she was, climbed up on the cabinet and pushed the television's screen tilting it to the left side.

I told her,'Baby get down. Do not touch the television or you might fall. Television can fall. You can get hurt'.

She refused to get down. Trust me she understood because she always respond to the instructions. You will be surprised if you thing a child doesn't know that much.

I then took her to a corner and said,'Now you stay here without mommy. Since you didn't listen to mommy, you should stay there alone'.

She cried so loud when she was left standing at the corner of my bedroom.

I went away from her and totally ignored her. After a minute, she kept sat on the bed and looked at her,'Wil you do it again?'

Eyes waterry, face so sad, sobbing.

'Come here now', I said gently and she came running to me. Again I emphasized for her to be careful and not to climb or touch the television.

Later that night, everytime when she did something she knew I wouldn't approve, she would look at me and said,'Go. Go' pointing her finger to that corner. She then rushed to stand at the corner alone for a few seconds. Then she played peekaboo with me and hugged mommy.

I just watched and felt like laughing. She knows what is wrong and punished herself before mommy.

Sometimes we think that a concept is too complicated for a child. But it took a few seconds only for her to understand.

Instead of shouting or saying something like 'naughty, bad girl' or any discouraging words, you can use this method.

I really am against using bad words to kids. After all our words are prayers.