I recently came across a video and a letter to a forum, both explaining how to control anger and deal with a fuzzy child. I learnt that anger arises out of our helplessness and our inability to keep the situation under control. The letter advised that the children should be made to understand the problem and that they should not be controlled by force. Good points. Being a father of a 3-year-old, I carefully made a note of them.

Last evening, my son was riding his tricycle. I noticed that he had deflated tyres. I told him not to ride his cycle with deflated tyres. He would not listen. I raised my voice. He would not budge.

Then I recalled the two recent theories I came across and decided to experiment. I took my son to my motor cycle.

Me: (pointing to the rear wheel) Thambi, now feel the tyre. It is firm, isn’t it?

Son: Yes, Dad.

Me: (pointing to the front wheel) Now feel this tyre. It is also firm, isn’t it?

Son: Yes, Dad.

Now I took him to my wife’s Scooty. He took cues and with the characteristic playfulness of a child, he felt the tyres.

Son: Dad, the tyres are firm in these wheels too.

He was excited and I’m delighted he got my point:

Me: See, the tyres have to be inflated if the cycle were to run better. If you ride the cycle with deflated tyres, the tyres will get damaged. You shouldn’t ride your cycle now.”

Son: “Not like that, Dad. Nothing will happen. I’m going to ride, anyway.”

Sigh. Theory is just the theory.