Mood Swings

Written by Salome Akwi

Continued...

We walked along the street from church, she saw a toy that she had been describing to me for some time and wanted it.

‘Mummy! Buy for me that toy which has a girl seated on a “Pikii-Pikii”’ she pointed.

‘Not now, Little Blue! I will buy it next time,’ I responded as I led her away.

She continued asking and pointing as we made our way to the Park. She pinched and scratched my hands; she struggled to set herself free from me and wanted to walk on her own through the park. Of course I could not let her, until we entered the taxi where, she burst out crying uncontrollably. 

Some passengers asked what was wrong, and wondered if she feared the taxi or that she might be hungry, she clung to my chest and buried her head still crying loudly.

‘Ehh! does she still suckle?’ One man asked in surprise.

‘No!’ I answered in amusement.

‘Stop it Little blue! Stop it!’ I told her as I tried to make her sit upright, all in vain; she held me even tighter. I couldn’t take it anymore and with anger, I spanked her even when I knew that I shouldn’t.

‘No! leave her, don’t beat her!’ some passengers spoke out in unison. They continued murmuring as others still insisted that she was hungry; I alone knew why she acted that way. I leave the imagination to you.

‘You think she is young, she is a big girl, she deserves it!’ a lady passenger next to me with a child too, lashed out in defense of my action.

‘Little Blue, keep quiet! Here, eat your popcorn!’ her brother tried to soothe her too.

‘Let her just cry, let her cry! she will keep quiet on her own,’ a gentleman behind me advised.

So I did that. She later kept quiet and asked for popcorn which I gave her. She even accepted to sit upright when I told her to. After a short distance, the lady passenger reached her destination and I got out so she could get out with ease, of course with Little Blue. When some curious passengers realized that she was a ‘girl’ and a ‘big girl’ for that matter, one guy shook his head in amusement and smiled at her. She smiled back like nothing had happened. We just burst out in laughter because that is all it was ‘Amusing’, she took her juice and acted like a normal child again. OMG!! 

Confucius puts it in simple words.

Amidst all this drama, all that is running in my mind is how i can help my daughter out grow this phase of her life. I am doing the best i can and i have vowed that no embarrassing situation  is going to deter me from walking thing journey with my kids. With God, Nothing is Impossible!!!

Enjoy with me!!!

Signs of Child Trauma

Written by Salome Akwi

It is not easy to reveal something so personal to the public but if it will save some child out there, I will proceed.

I will call my daughter “Little Blue”, She is 4 years old and is the most affected due to the fact that she is too clingy. She doesn’t let go off my hand and sometimes she still cries when I drop her off to school. When I pick her, she is so glad and smiles from ear to ear, I see a 2 year old; it is as if she is saying “Mummy,I thought you would not come for me.”  

She was away from me just for about six months only, but it seems like years; that short time under another woman’s wing created a deep void in her. When she wants something she will not stop asking until she gets it, if it means to cry, she will cry and follow me around, start pinching me while demanding for that thing even if she shouldn’t have it. She doesn’t obey instructions at all. When I spank her, she will open her mouth so wide while clinging to me. 

I then respond by hugging her while telling her that ‘’Mummy loves you very much okay! You are a big girl now, you are not a baby okay! You are a good girl and good girls listen to their mummies okay!” she nods, as I stroke her then she keeps quiet. 

What really happened to this child? One moment she did something so strange, she cried and as she I was consoling her she instead fixed her hand swiftly into my blouse for my breast saying she wanted to suckle. “Oh my God! Really? ” This amused me yet saddened me at the same time.                                                                                                                                                 To be Continued…

PHOTO by Salome Akwi Once a Rose, always a Rose. No matter what is engulfing it, it will stand out. 

The lesson I learnt so far is that nothing will engulf my children as long as I am their Mother, it is my duty to remove what ever thorns have pricked them. It may not necessarily be a step mother, it may be a maid, friend, Aunt, Uncle or anyone you trust who is doing things to your child. PARENTS, Be very VIGILANT on your kids. Yes. Mothers you have to work But your kids need you too!

Enjoy with me!!!