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Monday, November 19, 2007

American Style - Buying A Confidence for 50 Cents


Every social experience that we have in our lives, effects us in some way, short term or long term, large or small, positive or negative.

Sociologist, Erik H. Erikson divided human’s life by eight stages. I am going to talk an experience here now is about the Stage 2, Toddlerhood (from eighteen months to three years): This stage “is to cope with the world in a confident way. Failure to gain self-control leads children to doubt their abilities.”
(From ‘Society the basics’ by John J. Macionis)

Alright, this is what I saw that how an American father gave a confidence his toddler son when the opportunity has come.

In one summer evening in Thailand, I had dinner with Mr. Steve’s family in a hotel. Mr. Steve is an American and the family had two children, a four year old girl and a boy, almost two year old. While we were waiting for foods, a waiter brought the water glasses and put on the table for everybody. About two minutes later, the boy began to drink water. We all were watching. He looked at our faces first. We all gave smiles to him.

The boy lifted the glass (a little big glass for a toddler). Just before the water met his lips, the glass dropped onto the floor. It was broken. The boy was going to cry. Mr. Steve gave a smile, a cradle and said to his boy “It’s Okey. I will give you new glass, Okey?” The boy nodded.

Mr. Steve called waiter and said ‘Sorry’ and asked how much the glass cost? The waiter said ‘Twenty Bahts’ (roughly US 50 cents). Mr. Steve gave 20 bahts at once to the waiter and said to bring a new glass with water. The waiter brought a new glass with water and put in front of the boy again.

This time, the boy did not touch the glass about five minutes. He was looking around our faces. We all gave him our smiles. About five minutes later, he got the glass more carefully than the last time. We were talking around but looking at the boy and his glass, too. He carefully and firmly lifted the glass. Lifted a little bit, a little bit and finally, he drank water and dropped the glass back on the table successfully. He smiled and we could see on his face that he was very proud of by himself. We all gave smile, applause and “Yea…Great job!” Mr. Steve gave him a cradle and said, “You did such a good job. Great boy! We love you.”

Mr. Steve told me that “Do you see, Oo, I gave him something for 20 Bahts (50 cents).”
I nodded, smiled and said “You are a great father, Mr. Steve.”
Mr. Steve gave a great insight, which was a CONFIDENCE to his toddler son. We need a new generation with unshakable confidence, new innovations, new ideas and new approaches, to change our world to be more peaceful, literate and powerful world.
Have a good day!


Photo/ http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/pic/CAMB/27186~Confidence-Posters.jpg

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