One of the things that amazes me the most about kids is how the same two people can have such different kids.
We have the same genes....we raise them in (mostly) the same way....they have (pretty much) the same life experiences....
Yet they're total opposites!
How is that possible?
I just got a crash course in this phenomenon over the past 24 hours.
SJ (10) has always been incredibly smart, mature and eager to please.
He's in his school's choir, and I went to see their spring concert today.
Although he's generally a quiet, reserved kid, something happens to him when he gets onstage.
The kid just shines, and blows me away.
It's so much fun to watch him, especially since most of the other kids are doing the I'm-too-cool-to-do-the-full-movements thing.
I love watching him bloom into whatever in the word he's gonna be....no clue yet.
And then we have JM (7).
Also incredibly smart, sweet, and eager to please....but with a mischievous side as well.
Where SJ would rather DIE than get caught breaking the rules, JM loves to try to get away with as much as he can.
Just yesterday, ANOTHER call from the principal about something JM did in school.
(I'm not overly-impressed with her as principal, and I feel like she singles him out sometimes, but I digress.)
THIS time, he was flicking another boy's ears while he was trying to use the urinal.
Only JM could come up with this one.
He spent another recess in her office, filling out another "think" form about his actions.
At what point is this just normal boy behavior, and at what point do we get worried?
Since SJ is our only experience (and not a typical one by any means), I have no idea.
So seeing the principal at the school today was weird....I felt both pride with SJ's performance today and shame at JM's behavior yesterday.
It came out in a stilted, "Hey!"
Does every parent go through this?
I don't even wanna think about what JA (4) is gonna do.
He's behind the other kids in his preschool class with basic skills (another new thing for us), and is the wildest one of them all.
*sigh*
I get tired just thinking about it.
WILL YOU CHILDREN JUST STAY IN CONVENIENT, IDENTICAL, PREDETERMINED MOLDS FOR ME PLEASE, SO I KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT AND I CAN KEEP UP??
Thank you.
(And monkeys might fly outta my butt....)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
What a great post, CC. I know what you mean about deciding whether to stamp out any sign of mischief making or to let it have its run so it gets out of the kid's system. I guess the only way to gauge whether we're right is to wait until they thirty and see what they're up to then. And even if it's bad news, we can blame it on toilet training or the principal or something other than us, right? All three will be great, they're just going to be very different. And I guess that's what makes it fun.
You're so right....it's true, watching your kids grow and change before your eyes IS fun. But DAMN if it ain't confusing at the same time! With any luck, we won't be turning out any serial killers....I guess that's the best we can do. :)
Thanks again for your faithful reading and posting!
CC, I'm sure you're far from turning out serial killers, thought he embarrassemnt they can cause can feel that way sometimes! Keep up the great posts. They are wonderful.
Kathie, you're FAR too nice to me....good thing you don't know me in real life! :)
Post a Comment