First Stage Development and Kids Toys

Noren made window shopping at City Mall on Sunday September 5

Noren likes this very much

On Sunday, September 6, NorenNoren was interested to see light and other small kids.  enjoyed his first visit to shopping mall very much. Since it was his first time with the crowded, he watched every one walking across him and the light up at night. He was so curious to know why he was there and why there were so many people. However, mom and dad tried to talk to him and made fun when he see new things.

 Mom bought him a new green hat and hope that it will become his collections and make him remember his joyful childhood. 

Mom was about buying a cradle for him, unfortunately, there was out of stock. Noren likes to play with musical toys and the cradle was equipped with kid music, that is why he love it so much. Mom plan to buy one for him maybe next weekend. 

Mom is so pleased to see the development of Noren though it is in slower process compares to other kids at his age, mom is very happy to learn the recent development. 

My feeling is mixed regarding buying and selecting toys for Noren. On the one hand, I should not spoil my son by many expensive materials as he would be materialistic when he grows up. I should try to establish innovation and creativity. On the other hand, I should buy him many toys or educational toys for to establish his creativity. I get caught in between and I do not know what is right or wrong. 

 

 When seeing many new toys, it reminded me about my poor childhood in 1980s. My mom saved her money for three month to buy me a doll made in Vietnam. I loved the doll very much, but it was stolen a few days later. I did not have any toy to play at all. During that period of time, it was not uncommon  that many kids did not have toys or educational toys. Many families were poor, they just earn money from hand to mouth. Cambodia as a whole was just liberated from Khmer Rough regime. Many families were in hunger and they could earn only for a living. There was no doubt for my family that was relatively big. In total, there were about 13 or 14 members. I have 8 sibling, I am the youngest, actually. I had my grandmother, my father's nieces and nephews living with. My mom had to get up at 2 or 3 in the early morning to prepare for her small business to earn money for raising kids and relatives. I rarely met my mom in the morning. She came back at 5 or 6 the time that was my happiest time as immediately upon her arrival, i was always with her (she caressed me until i fell asleep at night). If i did something wrong, she did not blame me but my older sister.

Besides not having toys or picture books, i had full of love from my mom in the evening. Instead of playing with toys, I collected round rubber stick (កៅស៊ូ). Sometimes, my sister and I dig land to find materials. We sought many good materials such as bronze fold and spoon, bronze apsara statutes, bronze fish, earrings and necklace. We used them as our toys. Then, when I was 10 year old, i like reading picture books. Still, i did not have many books. It was fortunate that my father was working for provincial department of commerce where he has chance to collect old newspapers and magazines for me. 

Most children nowadays are very lucky because they have so many toys to play. If parents could not afford expensive toys, they could buy very reasonable price toys though quality is not as good as the expensive ones.

For these reason, i learnt that the lack of toys resulted in low child creativity. I myself learnt that I do not have creativity. Since, I have my own child, i should raise him my own way. I bought him many toys and pictures books. I started to read kids story to him since he was four months old. He likes it very much. Despite of playing with toys and listen to my reading, Noren does not talk much if comparing him with other kids at his age. But, when he does thing, he does it carefully. He may inherited this attitude from his father. No matter what, he is still the best kid in the world.