Honey! Our angel grew horns!

Not too long ago, little dude was a round-faced, doe-eyed, newly-minted toddler. Earnestness was written all over his face as he worked hard around the clock to master the skills of walking and understanding words that people around him were saying.

His toddling around brought comic relief, and his desire to expand his vocabulary meant that he was some sort of "Mr Nice Guy of the Century". He never said no to chores. He fetches toys, puts his books back into the shelves and couriers items between Papa and Mama. He never said no to diaper changes, baths and mouth-wiping after meals. To show you that he understood what you said, he walks to the bathroom was soon as the word 'bath' was out of your mouth, and gets a fresh diaper out of the drawer as soon as you say 'diaper change'. On top of these, he gave flying kisses on demand.

Then, the little angel that was my baby discovered the concept of independent thinking. And he's not even two yet.

Maybe I should be happy. I mean, I wouldn't want little dude to go through life taking orders without a mind of his own. But then, BUT, what does the little guy know? His poop-filled diaper has been on for a good whole half-an-hour, and he says 'NO' to a diaper change. His perspiration has drenched his shirt and evaporated five times over and he says 'NO' to a bath. His hands, full of germs and bacteria from the playground (any mother's nightmare), and he says 'NO' to washing his hands. Instead, he wants to go read my latest copy of the NUS Alumni magazine.

Reasoning does not work on a toddler with newfound independence. For someone so little, they experience a certain exhilaration from defying an adult. I get that. In him, I sensed both the desire for independence and reassurance. He now knows he can choose otherwise, but he is also anxious of the unknown. Like when he walks in front, he still looks back to see if mama is still there to look out for him. Before he ventures into the storeroom, he still waits for me to confirm that that is his forbidden realm.

And so, I am reminded that the finality of my job as a parent is to let go. But of course, that is still something in the distant horizon. If he makes a wrong decision meanwhile, he can be sure that his mama will forcefully change his diaper, literally, to save his little butt.