Trinbagonians talk. (111) I do not think any of us can put a number to the amount of Glasses we Broke.

When meh son was 5 years old, ah did t’ink it was de right time for me to give he juice an’ water in a glass. It was goin’ good, until he did break a glass. He stand up lookin’ at it in shock, then he look at me real sad as he say, “Mom, ah sorry.”  “Dat’s alright. Stand up right whey yuh is standin’.    Doh make one more step!” “Ah sorry,” He whisper.    “Doh study dat,” Ah tell he an’ ah sweep up de break up glass. Ah did feel dat, was de end of dat, buh he did not want to drink in a glass no more. Ah still use to give he, he drinks in a glass. Every time he break one, he use to get real sad. Ah would always tell he to stop botherin’ about it. De only t’ing dat did stop he from gettin’ sad was when ah did tell he dat, ah was 35 years, an’ t’ink about how much glass ah did break, since ah was small like he to now.      De first time meh daughter did break a glass, she start to cry.       “Mom, ah sorry.”       As usual ah say, “Doh worry about dat.” an’ ah hug she up. De next time she did break another one, she start to cry an’ she say, “Why yuh always does give me meh water an’ meh juice in a glass. De glass does always slip out of meh han.” “Yuh hav’ to learn to use a glass. Hold it wit yuh two hans. Pay attention to wat yuh doin’, when yuh take it up an’ when yuh put it down.   Start encouragin' yuh children. Stop naggin’ about de broken glass. Yuh could always buy back one.

At age 5, I felt it was time to give my son his juice and water in a glass. It worked out well. The first day he broke a glass, he stood looking at it in shock, then he looked at me very sad as he said, “Mom I am sorry.”      “That’s okay. Stand right where you are. Do not take another step.”    “I’m sorry,” He whispered.   “Don’t worry about it,” I said and swept up the broken glass. I felt that was the end of that, but he refused to use a glass. Although he did not want to use a glass, I still gave him his juice and water in one. Every time he broke one, he got very sad. I would say stop worrying about it. The only thing that stopped him from becoming sad was when I told him that I was 35 years old, and he should think about how many glasses I broke since I was 5 years old until now. That ended the sadness.       The first time my daughter broke a glass, she started to cry. “Mom, I am sorry.” As usual I said, “Don’t worry about it.” and I hugged her. The next time she broke another one, the tears started and she said, “Why do you give me water and juice in a glass. It always slips out of my hands.” “You have to learn to use a glass. Hold it with your both hands. You must watch what you are doing when you pick it up and when you put it down.”          Stop quarreling about the broken glass, it can be replaced. It is not the end of the world. Start building strength and courage in your children.