Kidspeak II

For some reason, watching one kid grow made me think that it would it easy to bring up another. The cuteness quotient of the little baby got a little trying for me as soon as he started talking. I hadn’t realized that the youngest has the distinct advantage of watching three older people interact amongst each other. The wisdom he gained due to this experience seemed enormous.

While moving houses, packing and unpacking have their own little joys. That particular day was really a tough one for this dad as he couldn’t find many of his things. My little boy finds a marble while unpacking. Little did he know the import of his words when he asked “I found this marble papa, did you lose it? Were you looking for it?” It took some time to digest it and I was left wondering whether this was the same cute baby who could only goo goo and ga ga a few months ago.

In a new country, the little one didn’t warm up to the surroundings right away.  In his quest for staying in the comfort of home, he did not want to get selected at a preschool. So, he didn’t speak at all with the teachers when he met them for an interview. The teachers suggested that he come back when he turns three. So we go back to the preschool after his third birthday.  The same sets of questions are asked. The three year old doesn’t smile, but says “I know what you are asking, but I don’t want to answer your questions right now.” The parents try and hide their embarrassment but the teachers are glad that he can express himself and interact with them and he is welcome to join their school.

The younger one joins that school and the next logical thing? Learning new things and preaching.  It was the first drive in the snow with the kids. So here I am figuring out the turn and when the GPS wasn’t very quick in giving directions. I sneezed and forgot to say ‘excuse me’. Then the little one pipes up “Pops, if you say excuse me and then I can say ‘bless you’. Next time remember to say that, ok?”  Well I said ‘sorry’ and ‘excuse me’ and got blessed for saying so.

On an evening we all are sitting  around doing our own things. The parents are talking about how fast kids grow and start kindergarten and then go on to grade school. We are talking about how kids learn doing their daily chores at home and at school. Suddenly the little one, busy helping his brother  build  something, bursts out crying “I don’t want to grow up, I don’t want to do a lot of work.” At that moment I wanted to empathize with him and tell him that even I didn’t want to. Then my parental instinct kicked in and I had to come up with an answer to calm him down and tell him that it is part of a natural process.  The sense of confidence which the dad had when the little boy was born, proved to be as strong as a leaf in fall.