The other day, #1 and #2 were fighting over a pink China bowl over dinner. I didn't want a headache, so I told #1 to give #2 the pink bowl and then dug out a Mickey & Friends compartmentalized plate which was new and never used before... and gave it to #1. She was placated instantly... and I whispered this to her "your sister will surely want your plate when she sees it" and true enough, when #2 saw the new plate, she abandoned her pink bowl and wanted the new plate... that's very common of #2 to do that.... she wants what her jie jie has, even if she does not like the item as she just wants equality.
Alycia's new Mickey & Friends compartmentalized plate which koo mar bought from HK.
To placate #2, I dug out another compartmentalized plate (which was not new but hardly ever used) and gave it to her. She whined a little coz she only wanted her jie jie's plate... which was very common of her but when she saw her dishes nicely arranged in her 'new' plate, she mellowed down and then slowly settled down, looooooong sigh.... talk about middle child syndrome.... you really need loads of patience and ideas to placate the difficult middle child.
And here's what we had for dinner that night:
Stir-fried veggie, steamed eggs with minced pork, steamed salmon fish, stir-fried french beans with homemade fish balls, steamed brown rice and chicken curry.
8 comments:
Wow! So much food on the table!
Abt "sharing"..it is over-rated when kids are concerned and when u have to put up with the whining! I know...child psychologists everywhere will flog me! I figure kids can learn sharing when they go to daycare as they will soon realize no one there will advocate for them, at least not to their desire! Anyhowz, what I used to do is be specific who uses what plate/cup/saucer/utensils etc. This way I can leave snacks/ fruit out for them and they'll know what's theirs. A lot less headaches this way! Actually, we still have this system with the kids grown..though I admit I sometimes steal their cups to use!
EQUALITY.. haha.. good point....
Chris... specifying the cups/bowls/cutlery is a good idea but I'm not sure if this will work on my gals coz they hv been sharing their things all their lives. Perhaps I can start this system now. Tks for the tip.
I usually take the thing away and put both of them on "the bench" until they figure out a solution.
Looking at Sher's pic (the 2nd pix)...whatever anger i have ..will be lost..look at her smile...heart melted
So, is the last pic, a pic of your "compartmentalized" meal?
My kids r the same too, esp didi, he'll want watever jie jie's having/taking. That's y I sometimes buy 2 pcs of the same design. But oni if we need them, like plates, stools, etc. And not a duplicate of toys.
hehehehe, this sound familiar. That's why when i buy things, i buy two set in the same design!!! To avoid any fighting. Sometime i will "sweet talk" to one of them, sometime it work sometime no..
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