When I found my mobile with the dishes in the sink...

How is one expected to react on finding the cellphone with the dishes in the kitchen sink - Confused? Amused? Enraged? Proud? Shocked? I think my reaction was a mix of all of these - changing from confused to slowly figuring out how it landed there as I reconstructed the scene and played back the images sequentially in my mind. About three hours back LG had made a quick trip to the kitchen while The Seniol and I were perched on the sofa. As LG returned quietly a mischievous grin on his face, I told The Seniol he was upto something there - I can see it on his face - and I heard a thud too. The Seniol returned from the kitchen with two balls from the sink dismissing the matter. It was later that night when I was tidying the kitchen did I find my mobile in the sink immersed in dirty water with the dishes. I was shocked at the ease with which LG flings things off into the sink - a habit he has caught on in the recent weeks. Experience taught me not to switch on the phone immediately and let it dry. To my surprise the phone was fine the next morning - it's the cheapest that Nokia has to offer and I'm all praise for making waterproof phones. I was determined to buy the cheapest one in the Nokia family when I went shopping for a new phone a few months back - so long it served the basic purpose of taking/answering calls it was good enough. Now, I know it was definitely worth spending a fortune with a toddler at home. The phone has found a new place now - atop the fridge.

Often after searching for a while, I find the things I was looking for either in the sink, in the balcony or in the lawn downstairs. He finds it amusing to throw balls, utensils, stuffed toys, wires, adapters and just about anything. The other day TV remote had found its way to the sink and how I wished it had a ringer so that I could locate it.

Lil' General is not an exceptional toddler in whatever he does. He does what every other kid his age does - it's all a part of their growing up. But to some parents I know their kids seem like prodigies when they narrate stories such as throwing things off or tantrum tales emphasizing on the part that the kid is hyperactive and quite out of the ordinary. Fact is for first time parents the experience is new and you are just as much in the learning phase as your kids. You grow with them. The second time around, it just seems like the natural thing to do, isn't it?

As children, we are told that by our respective parents that The Seniol and I constantly threw things off the balcony. My mother expresses her grief to this day over the loss of her numerous sets of precious china. apparently I would just walk over to the balcony, wait for someone to pass over downstairs and then throw with perfection the cups and saucers. At times they were accompanied by pairs of sandals and bathroom slippers too. Ditto with The Seniol. After all, LG has got over genes. If I sound like I'm taking pride in the habit, I'm not. I'm doing all I can so that no one gets hurt. It has become a game of fun for the kids who live downstairs - the first thing after they return from school is to check out their lawn for any strange thing that might have landed in one corner. They duly gather it all and in the pretext of returning it to LG and escaping homework for a while, they have fun with him :)



Related reading:
Why toddlers throw things
Why Your Toddler Loves to Throw Things
How do I stop my toddler from throwing things?