Asking Too Much Of Her??

This morning something happened in the office nursery which made my heart ache a little.

Nothing big deal, and actually quite a small thing, but it got me thinking. Have I been asking too much of her sometimes? As in, do I scold her too often or demand too much of her to behave, when actually, she's not exactly at this age where she can understand every intention that I have when I discipline or scold her?

Right after I dropped her off at office nursery, she tripped over a baby's gym mat toy that was lying on the floor just next to her feet. She then fell head-on to a baby who's lying on the floor playing with the gym mat. She didn't totally fall on top of the baby, but she did hit the baby's hand and the baby cried because he got a shock.

While she was still lying on the floor, she immediately uttered 'sorry, sorry, sorry' to the baby, and tried to pick herself up. Of course, everyone in the nursery was more 'gan chiong' about the little baby because he was wailing and he was of course more little than joey, and therefore alot more fragile. So the aunties quickly rushed to tend to the baby.

I was there and saw Joey as she tried to pick herself up. And I quickly asked her if she was okay, and then, she started to cry. I think she hurt her elbow as she fell, but she dared not cry, because her first reflex was to make sure baby was okay because everyday, everyone will remind her to be gentle with babies and not be too rough with them..... Even I keep reminding her everytime she comes into contact with another smaller baby because she can be quite rough at times. Not because she wants to be, but because she doesn't know how to control her strength yet.

Did I forget she is still a baby too?

2 years old coming to 3. That's not very big right?

Makes my eyes watery just thinking back about the scene in the nursery just now. I don't know whether you can understand or visualise the scenerio as I describe. But it was something that made me realise that sometimes I neglect her feelings, and only focused on correcting her behaviour. Sometimes, it wasn't even intentional. Why must she feel bad about an accident that happened unintentionally?

Heart is aching... my baby...