I'm a full-time mummy

I came across this article which I must definitely share with you guys as I'm very interested to know your thoughts on this. Do note that sharing this does not mean I agree or disagree with it. To view the video on YouTube, you can click on the images below. For your convenience, I have copied the excerpts from the article here:

The amateur video apparently shows three people approaching and then attacking the family who are enjoying a day out at a lake in Russia. According to reports, the attackers – a mother and daughter and another woman - were outraged when they saw bottles of vodka strewn around. One of the woman was breastfeeding a tiny baby and barely able to stand.

 Taking matters into their own hands, they launched an attack on the two who were with the children on the shores of Lake Gusinoye, Russia. They also filmed the incident. Narrating, the camera operator says the adults are in a "constant drunken state" and unfit to raise the three children with them.

The narrator’s mum then launches a physical attack on the two drunken women, slapping their faces and hitting them with objects. 

The allegedly drunk mum, who was breastfeeding her three-month-old, is hit several times by the woman, who asks: "What are you doing? Look at all this alcohol." The camera pans to show several empty vodka bottles lying nearby.

Shockingly, a young boy and his sister watch the violence unfold and the girl also covers her eyes to avoid seeing her own mum being beaten.

 The narrator then asks her own mother to stop the attack, telling the terrified children to get into her car. Reports suggest the three children were taken to a local hospital by the women, where they were found with alcohol in their system.

Police launched an investigation into the allegedly drunk women, but not those who appeared to carry out the attack. Force spokesman Oleg Vasiliev says the drunken mum was fined for "dereliction of parental duties", while authorities also inspected her home. He says the three children were found to have adequate sleeping quarters, and were also well fed. The mum has reportedly promised to improve her behaviour and parenting, or face having her newborn child taken from her custody.

Meanwhile, the video’s author and her mum have been criticised for the attack. Viewers in Russia say that although their intentions were good, it was not right to attack the mum and grandma in front of the young children. This argument was echoed by Commissioner for Children's Rights, Tatiana Vezhevich, who says the two older siblings may require counselling.

What do you think?

** Note: I have disabled the commenting feature on my blog engine thanks to all the spammers who happily spam my blog every day. If you wish to ask me any questions, you can find me at my Facebook page (I'm there almost everyday) or just drop me an email if you wish to maintain some anonymity.

I came across this article which I must definitely share with you guys as I'm very interested to know your thoughts on this. Do note that sharing this does not mean I agree or disagree with it. For your convenience, I have copied the excerpts from the article here:

Our children listen to us. What we say, and how we say it, plays a huge role in how they view themselves. As parents, we want to do everything we can to help our children have the best possible life experiences. Since our communication influences how our children view themselves, we should be careful with how we say things. Try these suggestions for creating positive interactions with your children and help them develop a healthy self-image.

Instead of saying “You’re driving me crazy!” say “Your actions are frustrating me.”
This separates the person from the action. You love the person; however, you dislike the action. You can clearly communicate to your child that his or her actions are frustrating. Actions can be changed without implying that something is wrong with the person.

Instead of saying “I hope you’re proud of yourself!” say “I am sure you are as disappointed as I am.”
Instead of shaming your child, you can let them know you are disappointed and that you are certain that he or she is disappointed as well. Showing empathy when something doesn’t go well goes a lot farther than shaming someone.

Instead of saying “Shut up!” say “I need you to be quiet.”
When we tell our kids to shut up we are setting an example by telling them it’s okay to tell others to shut up. This is hurtful and rude. Instead, ask your child to simply be quiet. One comment is a demand, while the other sounds more like a request. Most people comply better to a request than a demand.

Instead of saying “Next time do better!” say “I know you realize how important it is to do your best.”
Most likely your child knows when they haven’t done as well as they would have liked. Instead of reprimanding him or her, try to be encouraging. You can validate your child by offering encouragement and believing in them.

Instead of saying “I promise,” say “I will do my best.”
When we make promises to our children, they expect us to follow through on them. When those promises get broken, children tend to remember it even if we had a very good excuse. When we say we will do our best they know we will try very hard to do something, but that not all things are possible.

 

Instead of saying “Let me do it,” say “Would you like some help?”
It’s important that we let our children try and fail. We empower them by letting them work through things themselves. We are available to help, and it’s better for them to ask than for us to take over.

 

Instead of saying “Leave me alone!” say “I need some space.”
Our words can be very cutting. Sometimes we lash out at our children during moments of weakness. Instead of telling our children that they’re a burden, we should tell them that we need something that only we can provide ourselves. This takes the focus off the child and makes them realize that we need something they can respect. They aren’t the problem; we just need to work through something alone.

Instead of saying “Don’t cry,” say “It will be okay.”
It’s okay to cry. It’s a natural reaction we all have at times. Children need to feel validation and comfort when they are upset. We can assure them things will be okay and help them work through it without controlling their actions.

 

Instead of saying “You are so smart,” say “I love how hard you work” or “I admire your ability to understand.”
When we tell our children how smart they are, we put pressure on them to live up to our expectations. They might avoid things that make them not look smart. We need to foster their work ethic and ability to learn without placing undue expectations on them.

 

Instead of saying “Hurry up!” say “Let’s get moving.”
When we tell our kids to hurry up, that’s usually when things start slowing down. When we take the pressure off them and place emphasis on the entire family trying to work toward the same goal, everyone’s motivation improves.

What do you think?

** Note: I have disabled the commenting feature on my blog engine thanks to all the spammers who happily spam my blog every day. If you wish to ask me any questions, you can find me at my Facebook page (I'm there almost everyday) or just drop me an email if you wish to maintain some anonymity.