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Taking medicine

Today, I went to the pharmacy to fetch the medicine. When I was waiting, I saw the children’s cough drops on the shelf. And suddenly I remembered the first time Isabel took medicine. When she was two years old, we took her to Beijing to visit my family. That was the third time she went to China. She started coughing when we was about to return to Europe. The doctor gave her a bottle of cough-relieving medicine. The task to persuade her to take medicine was handed over to my father (her grandpa). For to eat and to drink has never been a difficult task since Isabel was born. But she seems to realize that taking medicine is a different challenge.

Grandpa was more than patient like always: “Isabel, shall we take the medicine?”
Isabel: “Maybe not?”
Grandpa: “You will feel better after taking the medicine.”
Isabel: “Maybe not!”
Grandpa: “Take three spoons, then you can eat a fruit candy.”
Isabel: “Two spoons!”
Grandpa: “You need to take three spoons.”
Isabel: “One!”
Grandpa: “Only three spoons.”
Isabel: “Fruit candy first.”
Grandpa: “Take the medicine first, then the fruit candy.”
Isabel: “One spoon!”
Grandpa: “Three spoons.”
Isabel: “Two spoons?”
Grandpa: “Three spoons, you will finish quickly.”
Isabel: “Eat fruit candy first, right?”
Grandpa: “You will be happier if you take the medicine first and then take the fruit candy”
Isabel: “The fruit candy is delicious.”
Grandpa: “…”
Isabel: “…”

On the other side of the living room, I listened to their soft-conversation and slow bargaining. Surprisingly the endless circles made me not irritable, but fascinated me. They talked back and forth gently for more than ten minutes. Finally they happily completed the task.

Looking back on it, I still can’t stop laughing. The patience of an adult can definitely affect a child’s reaction. In fact, for the impact on adults is the same. Later, every time Isabel needed take her medicine, we replayed the discussion between her and grandpa. Of course she couldn’t stop laughing too.

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