Lessons from my two-year-old

Introduction

Something interesting happened today; I went grocery shopping with my two-year-old. I rarely take him to the store. On our way, we had a detour to Kmart to get Easter bonnets for us, and I didn’t find any, but we didn’t want to continue shopping without buying something Easter-ish. So I thought to buy him a glass frame with bunny ears. I thought he would like that, and I bought bunny ears for myself.

Imagine what happened next; he was shouting and crying for chocolates. I thought to indulge him; I bought him a crate of Easter Eggs. That wouldn’t do; he wanted more, like chocolates, and I couldn’t indulge him further. So I left the store, thinking he would come with me, but he didn’t. So I brought the crate of Easter eggs and showed him so he could see we got some of the many things he wanted from the store, which prompted him to eventually follow me after negotiating with him.

Lesson

On getting home, he wanted the eggs so fast, so once I washed my hands, I opened the crate and brought an egg for him, He squeezed it, and the egg cracked. I thought it would be all squished up when I eventually opened it. Well, I was right, as that’s what happened, I gave him, and he looked like someone who didn’t know what they had in their hand. Then it hit me; so many of us are fighting, shouting, crying, and negotiating for things we do not know how to eat. He tasted it and didn't seem to like it. So, he gave me the rest, and now I can tell you he doesn’t like chocolates.

Conclusion

What are you fighting for? Who are you shouting at? What are you crying for? What are you negotiating for? Can you eat the chocolate when you eventually get it?

Originally published on Apr 5, 2023.