"Children are the best source of learning"
There are no second thoughts on above words. Children teach us small needs of life like - to smile, to cry, innocence and above all selfless love.
Gone are the days when parents used to keep the children under a stick. There is a small story around Lord Krishna and his mother Yashoda that people used to tease and plead Yashoda for letting her son cry a bit sometimes as it's also needed for kids. It is said that Yashoda never let Krishna cry and always made sure that he is ever smiling.
I might not be as loving as Yashoda, but I am trying my level best to be friends with my three year old. We - mother son, have found our own set of activities we love to do together and learn from each other.
Bed Time StoriesI am yet to find a kid who does not like stories and my son is no exception. I narrate small stories to him when it's time to sleep. The problem is that he wants a new story everyday. I have found a solution by using his favorite characters/toys in the stories and making sure that the stories pass simple good messages - sharing, helping, honesty, respect etc.From some days, the little kiddo just repeats the story after me be saying that now he would narrate a story to me. While narrating, he has many times corrected my version that mommy you forgot to say thank you, sorry etc at that point.
Building BlocksThe traditional blocks set is never old enough to learn something new. The cute "handy many" sometimes comes up with vehicles I never thought of creating out of those blocks. Have a look at below creative parking lot, alloy wheels in the race car etc.
Mobile car parking
Truck helping a car which broke down
Aeroplane Carrying Cars
Aeroplane
Vocabulary TeacherWhile the kid is learning to speak clearly and pronounce the words right, he is also helping his grandmother pronounce those words correct. For example, my mom has a tendency to add a 's' to spoon and say spoons. He corrects her many times. Also, my mother in law generally says 'sweet dream' and he keep her repeating till she says 'dreams'.
Play MateBoth of us - myself and my son play together. Be it cricket (bat-ball), hide and seek, chor-police, football, racing or those slides in park, I accompany him everywhere whenever he does not have other kid to play. It's a bliss when sometimes I say that I do not how to play this game (to avoid playing) and he says - " mummy, mein sikhaunga" (mummy, I would teach you).
There are number of other little 'Kushi Ke Pal' (happy moments) when I enjoy the buddy parenting and make sure that the term 'Khuljaye Bachpan' stands true for my son.
