Mwagala is starting to develop a will of her own. And seeing as her parents are quite strong willed she really sticks to her guns. So the disciplining has begun.
It's been interesting to see how much she actually understands when you tell her not to do something. I usually watch to see what she is going to to do and if it is not agreeable then I say a firm 'No'. At first she used to pause and try to touch it again and I would repeat the 'No'. These days when she gets to something that I usually do not allow her to touch or play with she looks at me and then says something in her language like she is asking for permission. When I say no she walks away from it and onto something that she can play with.
Not every thing is that easy though. Several times she tests me to see what I'll do if she disobeys. The secret is being consistent. I've learned that she is testing her boundaries and that she is actually able to understand that I'm serious about it if I am consistent with my response. Most times I warn her twice and then give her a small smack on her hand. Once she has been warned and is then smacked she doesn't even cry. She just moves on to the next thing. I must say it has made my life a bit easier because she knows the boundaries now and does not run off to destroy anything. It also helps when we go visiting because she doesn't ruin anyone's property but is still able to play.
It's been quite a journey and many times I'm told not to smack her but I think that she needs to know what is acceptable and what is not. I'm laying a foundation here and I'm not going to compromise.
So far, so good :)
