Was at the departmental store the other day and saw something both funny, endearing and that which made me sit up and think. It was the antics of a cute 5/6 year old boy and his mom, out grocery shopping. I guess the mother in question promised him an ice cream of his choice if he helped her pick up stuff. I was on the opposite aisle and could hear the flow of words back and forth.
He would run around picking up small things within his reach and drop them off into the cart . each time asking his mom if he could pick up his ice cream. She would ask him to continue his errands.
After a point the shopping over, she proceeded to the check out counter expecting him to tail along. The smart little one had other ideas. He plonked himself on the aisle floor and told her off loud enough for the other customers to hear of his intention of leaving the store not without the much promised goodies.Try she might, she never got him to budge till she bought him the offending food , redfaced and cursing under her breath...
The kid got what he wanted, the mother what she had come for. As they left, I couldn't help wonder if the seeds of deceit and disbelief is not sowed in our childhood. Would he grow learning the lesson too early in life, never to trust anyone's word or that it is alright to lie and make false promises as he saw his mother do.
I wonder, as parents, what qualities and values are we inculcating in our children and should we not shoulder the blame when they turn up as carbon copies of our own selves, with the very traits we hate but were the one's who taught them....
