There are days when I look at my soon-to-be five-year-old and be awed about ‘how mature he is and how logical his thought process is.’
And as I sit there and virtually pat myself on the back for having managed to do a reasonable job with him so far, the mood suddenly changes. From someone who perfectly understands what you’re trying to tell him, to someone who pretends to be dumb – the swings in mood are both amusing and scary.
Amusing, if you’re an on-looker. Scary, if you’re the parent.
You’ve probably heard that phrase – The Terrible Twos. Well, I did too. And then I experienced it and found out the reason why they call it that. Of course, what I didn’t realise was that it would then turn into the ‘Terrorist Threes, where a lot of things (including the lovely glass Bric-à-brac in my showcase ) would develop a tendency to blow up without any warning.
But then again, a lot of people continued to tell me that things would only get better. Someone, even told me that the worst was over. And I believed it. Until he turned four.
Year Four too has been one of many discoveries and learnings, much like the ones before. And just like that, I’ve also discovered that my son has graduated from the illustrious League of Ordinary Toddlers to a gang of the Young and the Restless. If you too have kids in this age range, you’ll probably be able to relate to some of these. For the rest, enjoy the laugh. After all, one person’s **** is another’s entertainment ?
You’ll find yourself constantly pitted against your partner, despite your numerous conscious efforts and decisions to not say yes when the other one says no. Somehow, they always manage to find the weak link with the precision of a CIA Interrogator. In our home, I am always the weakest link.
Your phone calls will be constantly monitored and interrupted by a tiny dictator who orders you around. You will also discover that most of your phone conversations will frequently end with ‘I’ll call you back later, okay?’
You constantly find yourself negotiating – from food to sleep. It’s like living with a 3-foot tall salesman, who is damn good at their job and isn’t afraid to twist your arms to get what he/she wants.
Time and again, you’ll find yourself sitting outside the loo singing loudly so ‘someone’ can poop; that is when you’re not answering questions about what you are doing inside the toilet and if they can accompany you.
You will be always prepared for a tantrum at the most public location that you can imagine – from malls to train stations.
You’ll wonder why they have to wait until the absolute last fricking minute to tell us they need to go to the bathroom. It’s always like an episode of ‘Nina Needs to go’
The likelihood of them repeating something you said is directly proportional to the kind of the crowd you’re with. The more ‘politically incorrect’ the phrase, the higher the probability.
Your idea of a holiday is now having a lie-in and breakfast in bed, without having to worry about anything else.
You’re constantly being threatened to be poked in the eye by an object they want you to ‘see’
And of course, if you do happen to catch them on a good day, put on your most charming smile and ask them why they behave the way they do, you’ll probably get an answer like this:
Suddenly, everything makes perfect sense. Your ‘Because I said so!’ now has a valid counter argument.
Someone smart said: Parenting guides should end with recipes for strong cocktails.You will need it.[/tweet_box]
I Wrote Those - by Sid Balachandran 
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