Welcome to Being Parents, a weekly series of 50 short, heart-warming, and relatable stories that capture the joys, challenges, and surprises of raising children - one week at a time. This is post 2 of 50.
Water First, Words Later
It was a morning like any other. Leena was packing Aarav’s tiffin while mentally juggling a dozen tasks, office meeting at 11, groceries to be ordered, and the washing machine blinking error codes again.
From the living room came a loud crash, followed by silence.
Then Aarav’s voice:
“It wasn’t me!”
Leena’s first instinct was to yell from the kitchen, “What happened now?”
But something in her paused. Maybe it was the leftover calm from yesterday’s balcony talk.
Instead of reacting, she poured a small glass of water, walked over, and handed it to Aarav.
“Here. First, have a sip.”
Aarav took the glass, wide-eyed. “But I didn’t do it!”
Leena sat on the armrest.
“Okay. I’m listening. But drink first.”
He gulped it down, took a breath, and began.
The vase had fallen. He had been reaching for his pencil behind the curtain. It was more of an accident than a tantrum.
No yelling. No accusations. No punishment.
Leena quietly picked up the pieces.
“I’ll help clean up,” Aarav offered.
Later that day, she reflected: That small pause had made a big difference.
Parenting Insight:
The pause is a parenting superpower.
In the moment of chaos, pausing for 10 seconds or offering a sip of water can change everything.
It tells the child:
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You are not being attacked.
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We handle things together.
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You matter more than the mess.
In distress, the water works like magic. With the pause, it becomes a remedy.
Has it happened to you in your childhood?
(Our parents were surely more patient in their own quiet way.)
Have you ever tried pausing before reacting?
Would you like to try it next time?
Tell us your story in the comments, and don’t forget to share this with another thoughtful parent.
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