I don't drive.

Everyone knows this... I'm probably one of the most loyal consumers of public transportation (or carpooling) around. I prefer to ride buses and pedicabs here where I'm from. They're faster (buses) and more airy (the pedicabs). 

I normally don't like to start small talk on public transportation, so as much as possible, I take the ride which will afford me the fastest travel, and the "breeziest" ride. :-)

Anyhow, one afternoon, I found myself getting on a pedicab with an agitated kid throwing a tantrum, because of something his dad probably did or said. When I got on, he was on the main seat, and started hitting the seat I was going to be in angrily with his right fist. He didn't hit me, but he was furious that his dad passed by to pick up passengers. I had to chuckle. He was pretty amusing. 

:-) I'm no expert in child care, but I do know that kids have very short attention spans and love vivid colors, so I took out my iPad and proceeded to open my Pepi Doctor app. It IS a very colorful one where kids can pretend to be doctors and give first aid for bruises, toothaches and even broken bones. 

That got his attention. :-)

He quieted down, and calmed down enough to not cry anymore. He also sat up and was engrossed in the screen. I thought it'd make it more interactive if he also had fun too. So...I tried Snapchat. on a whim. 

:-p he did calm down.

When I arrived at where I was going, his dad, the driver, grinned at me, and said, "Say, "Thank you Ate!" to the boy. 

He just looked at me. And didn't say anything at all. 

(There is absolutely no happy ending to this story...the whole point of it lang is this, "You don't have to fight fire with fire with a kid having a tantrum. It is more...physiologic to just distract him. That way, no one gets hurt.)

And the reason why I know this? Simple.

I'm a big kid. 

:-D

Love, 

S.