Choti Si Duniya - ArShi FF

66. Terrible twos

It was well after his 3rd birthday and Khushi's pregnancy with twins and birth of his sisters that he mellowed down and donned a 'good baby' avatar!

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Twins

Back to present day, one would think that with a rich experience of handling fussy toddlers at their prime, Raizada family and specifically Arnav and Khushi were better prepared to handle when their darling daughters turned two. But they couldn't be more wrong! As precious as their baby girls were to them, the twins had ensured that their parents didn't miss out on this particular milestone of their growing age!

Pari

And just when they thought, Pari would probably not have any, she proved them all wrong! As silent as she was, her tantrums were anything but! Two main things that terrified her family were she had started biting people when she didn't want to do something yet was asked to and second, she needed constant attention from Khushi and Arnav, either of the two.

The first time Pari bit Khushi due to anger was when she refused to get ready for her school and khushi still tried to dress her up. Khushi was holding her close as she was putting on her pant and Pari bit her! Yes, she legit bit Khushi's shoulder as Khushi had held a crying Pari whose face was hidden in khushi's neck! And when a shocked khushi who never expected at least this one baby of hers to also follow her siblings' footsteps, tried to make her understand, she once again tried to do the same!

It's another matter altogether that Arnav laughed over it at first saying his baby had given Khushi a "love bite" taking after her papa and khushi should have seen this coming. It was only when Pari bit his hand one day as he was making her have a soup she didn't want, and Arnav understood the situation was severe.

Then she bit her Akash chachu's ear once, Chiku's cheek, and numerous attempts to bite other people!

After Arnav and khushi took her to her pediatrician, and he suggested a few things to control that, finally Pari gave up the habit.

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Her second habit however about her constant need to have either her dad or her Maa around her, in front of her eyes was seen for long! She would cry at the top of her lungs if khushi or Arnav weren't around her.

"Hamari pari bitiya khushi bitiya ke bina kaha soti hain (Has our Pari ever slept without Khushi bitiya)? Good that you are finally home, take her." Mamiji complained to Arnav and khushi when they returned from work and saw that Pari was very cranky and sleepy, yet no one was able to pacify her.

"Just like her dad! Main bhi toh khushi ke bina kaha so pata hoon (even I am unable to sleep calmly without Khushi)!" Arnav said in a low whisper laden with mischief and Khushi elbowed him as she took a sleepy yet stubborn Pari in her arms and proceeded to make her sleep.

Arohi

The signs became more prominent with Arohi long before Pari. Refusing to listen to Khushi (Arnav never forced his kids to listen to him anyway so it was never applicable to him), wanting to tag along with anyone that was stepping out, demanding sudden attention from her mamma-dada or her siblings, refusing to eat any dish which was healthy for her, basically she was testing waters on how much she could defy the general rules of her family. And everyone in Raizada family almost always indulged Arohi's tantrums. It didn't help that Arnav had taught all his kids to be bold and fearless, but Aru specifically took it whole different level. Living up to the initials of her name being same as her dada's, and his genes she carried along with his legacy of temper, she was every bit ASR, that too at his worst! And that almost always freaked Khushi.

And today at breakfast time, as Arnav watched with amusement, aru refused to eat a palak(spinach) paratha and when Khushi tried to force her, Aru's pouty lips frowned in disapproval, her chubby cheeks flushed in anger, and she threw away Khushi's phone. Khushi stood up as she looked at her brand-new iPhone which lay broken and threw a glare at Aru. She had enough!

"No one will come between us today." Khushi thundered as she harshly picked a suddenly frightened Arohi at Khushi's angry avatar and took a hysteric Arohi upstairs. Arnav of course couldn't bear it and ran behind her.

"Khushi, that's enough. You are overdoing it" he said going to take Aru from her arms, "there is no need to get so angry over a phone."

"It's not about just phone Arnavji! She and even you need to understand this behavior is not acceptable. Aaj phone utha kar phenka hain, kal logo ko- (she threw away phone today, what if tomorrow she does the same with people-)"

Arnav winced at her tone and open accusation of the crime he had committed some 12 years ago when he let her fall from his office! Khushi didn't mean to say it so harshly either but whenever she saw aru's anger, she feared that her child would be worst version of her dad! Arnav silently took Arohi from her and Khushi left to finish her own breakfast. Let the daughter-father duo stay in their own world, she had enough of bearing the tantrums.

Needless to say, Khushi's own appetite had died but she didn't let it show to others on the table. They all needed to understand that even if they sympathized with Aru, she couldn't get away with everything.

Arnav on the other hand, introspected and understood Khushi wasn't wrong, maybe harsh but not wrong. From his own experience he understood temper was not good for any one and although Aru was still a baby to be scolded so much over it, she at least needed to be told where the limits were... and so, he tried to make his baby see why her mother got so upset with her...

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A short while later, Arnav himself came downstairs with a very dull Aru who clung to him like a little monkey that she was! Khushi saw them approach her from the corner of her eyes and soon, she heard them call her

"Khushi, I'm sorry." Arnav said and at the same time Aru did too "mamma, sorry."

Khushi finally nodded as she acknowledged the duo and looked at her baby whose alabaster cheeks had tear strains, breaking khushi's heart. She hated herself in that moment even though she was sure whatever she did was for Aru's betterment. Raising a child is not only about pampering them, but also about disciplining them and she had to do it. But at the same time, the process of imbibing good values in her babies was so damn hard for her that her heart broke in multiple small pieces seeing a child she created from her own body, a person who was an extension of her own self cried due to her!

Khushi let her tears run unchecked as she softly picked and cuddled Arohi to her chest. Aru buried herself more into her mother's soft bosom, and soon asked for food, crying had really drained her out. Khushi kissed her baby's downy head and face multiple times, uttering numerous sorrys with each kiss and she fed Aru, palak paratha and then her baby's favorite muffins!

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Years later as all these kids had their own kids and came complaining about the terrible twos of their kids, Arnav and Khushi could only reassure them that this was a part and parcel of parenting two-year old's!

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Next chapter on friday eve EST after 200+ votes on this one.

Also, please vote on initial chapters too guys, CSD has been the same since chapter #1. Thanks to all those who already did this ❤

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A/N - apologies for no update last week, I was(still am) travelling for diwali and could not type an update despite ArShi, CSD and you all constantly on my mind ❤

Terrible twos is a real thing seen in different times and ways in most kids but disciplining a child during their early years is the hardest thing and same is the case for Arnav and Khushi's kids. Everyone loves a bouncy, happy, cute baby but only his/her parents and family know what it has taken for them to ensure they raise a good kid. Hope I didn't go overboard, and every kid's tantrums somewhat made sense with their inherent character traits. Please let me know how it was.