Parenting guru. Moi?

Not yet.

But it was good to meet a mother from my toddlers group last Saturday.

She was at my son's school "Open Day". She told me she would always remember what I said to her, many moons ago.

Apparently she was trying to tell her son -- who was happily chattering away -- to shut up.

Apparently I said to her that it is OK to let toddlers chatter away. Apparently I said that "we spend all their first months encouraging them to talk, and then when they start talking we tell them to keep quiet. It must be confusing to the poor child."

For whatever reason this young mum remembered this, and my face -- for I don't think she knows my name -- will always be associated with that "advice" I gave her.

I didn't think it was the right time and place to mention that we must also teach our children that "there is a time and place for everything", under heaven, if I might add.

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