Chapter 788: Seeking Parenting Advice
Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Jiang Ping watched his mother with a sense of unease. Her behavior reminded him of a strange aunt who seemed to have a penchant for stealing children. He couldn’t help but caution her, “Mom, you’re scaring people with your behavior. No one would dare let you hold their child if you continue . Can’t you act a bit more normal?”
His mother turned to glare at him, silencing him with a single look. By the time she turned back, the little girl had already extended her arms towards her. With a delighted laugh, she scooped the child into her arms, unable to let go. “Oh my, my heart is melting. How can there be such a well-behaved child? Tell Auntie, how old are you?”
Upon seeing the other two children from the Su family, she was convinced of what Jiang Ping had told her. The children in this family were indeed exceptionally beautiful, especially this little girl. She couldn’t help but feel a pang of envy. Why couldn’t she have been blessed with such a lovely daughter? Instead, she was stuck with a son who constantly gave her headaches.
The love for children was something that couldn’t be faked. Gu Zi, seeing the way Jiang Ping’s mother was acting, was certain that she meant no harm. She went to the kitchen and prepared some snacks. She served one plate to her guests and packed another box for Jiang Ping’s mother to take home as a token of appreciation.
Jiang Ping’s mother accepted the gift happily, and they all sat in the living room, chatting and enjoying the snacks. Jiang Ping’s mother was eager to learn from Gu Zi.
“Mrs. Su, your snacks are delicious. You’re so talented. I must admit, I’m quite envious of you for having these three beautiful children. How do you manage to raise them so well? Look at them, their faces are glowing with health, and they’re all so good-looking. I’m at a loss when it comes to my son. He doesn’t like to eat, and look, his cousin Jiang Nuan is almost taller than him.
“I heard from Jiang Nuan that when she was sick and came to your house for a party, you gave her a medicinal recipe. She said it was very effective. You must be very knowledgeable. You look like a university student. Could you please help me? We’ve tried everything for our skinny monkey, but he just won’t grow. It’s so frustrating.”
Jiang Ping sat to one side, listening to his mother’s disparaging tone. He seemed accustomed to it, showing no reaction. However, Jiang Nuan was worried that he might be upset, so she took him to play with the others.
Gu Zi had figured it out. Jiang Ping’s mother had come to seek parenting advice after seeing how well she raised her three children. Gu Zi was not a stingy person when it came to sharing her knowledge.
After a moment of thought, she said, “Not eating is definitely not okay. During a child’s growth period, the most important thing is to eat well. As long as you can ensure that he eats on time and has a balanced diet, that’s already the first step in scientifically raising a child.”
Jiang Ping’s mother listened attentively, quickly asking, “Su Bing’s Mom, what do you suggest for my skinny monkey to develop normally?”
Gu Zi responded, “A balanced diet is key. In simpler terms, it means that each meal should have a balanced intake of various types of food, including meat, eggs, and vegetables. Limit the consumption of fatty meats, dairy products, fried foods, and sweets. Also, people who are particularly thin usually need to replenish their blood, so they should eat more blood-nourishing foods, such as red dates, pig liver, lotus root, carrots, black chicken, longan, and brown sugar.”
After a pause, she continued, “Specifically, you should take your child to the hospital. The doctors there can provide more detailed advice. However, I do have a dietary therapy recipe here. It’s a soup made from longan and walnuts. The method is not difficult. Just add longan and walnuts to cold water and boil for twenty minutes. After it’s cooked, eat the longan and walnuts with the soup. You can make this for him to drink as tea every day.”
As she spoke, Gu Zi stood up and fetched a can of milk powder that she had prepared for her two sons. She handed it to Jiang Ping’s mother, “This is for Jiang Ping, consider it as compensation for Su Bing’s heavy-handedness. You can also buy a couple of cans for Jiang Ping. It won’t do any harm.”
Jiang Ping’s mother took the milk powder and looked at it, somewhat puzzled, “The recipe you just mentioned seems worth trying, I’ve noted it down. But is the milk powder necessary? Isn’t this for one or two-year-old children who don’t have milk to drink? I’ve heard that consuming too much milk powder can cause a child’s head to enlarge. Whenever someone gifts us children’s milk powder during festivals, I always give it away.”
After hearing this, Gu Zi was at a loss for words. She hadn’t expected that the rumor about milk powder causing an enlarged head had already existed in this era.
She said, “Jiang Ping’s Mom, where did you hear these misconceptions? The main ingredient in milk powder is cow’s milk. Unless your child is allergic to cow’s milk, there’s really no harm in consuming it. Especially for children with nutritional deficiencies, drinking some milk powder can be beneficial for their growth. But whether you want to try it or not, that’s up to you.”
Jiang Ping’s mother looked at the milk powder, then at the little girl in her arms, who was so well-nourished. With such a tangible example in front of her, she decided to trust Gu Zi.