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My Kids

 Sometimes, my children hold hands in the back of the car, and they just giggle. It's reliably the greatest thing that happens on the planet, and I can't predict when it might occur, and I can't fully interpret the meaning of the laughter.


At other times, my son walks up to my daughter and pushes her (for no clear reason). This really alarmed me until I watched a Chris Rock special, and Rock spoke about his daughter's fondness for biting the limbs of strangers. I really think that Rock should win some kind of humanitarian award--just for publishing this confession.

My spouse and I are not sure how to counsel my daughter. Occasionally, there is a temptation to say: "Just push back!" This doesn't seem very Christlike...but....maybe...who cares? I took pleasure in a picture book yesterday, "Timothy Goes to School." In the book, Timothy is bullied by Claude--and Timothy does not meekly accept this nonsense. Instead, he daydreams about Claude falling into a mud-puddle.

"Everyone has good days," says my son's speech therapist. "And everyone has bad days. In that sense, kids are just like adults."

I understand this, intellectually. But the moments of "pushing" are still startling to me. One day at a time....
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Comments

  1. Adolfo ProfumoJune 8, 2023 at 4:18 AM

    You write like I dream. It would be nice to see a memoir. Signed: Your Jewish Mother

    ReplyDelete
  2. Unkie JJune 8, 2023 at 8:13 AM

    Joshie is actually experimenting with the scientific and philosophical aspects of causation. For example, the counterfactual theory of causation states that causes are events that would have made a difference if they had not happened. For example, if Josh had not pushed Susie, she would not have fallen to the ground....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ReaderJune 8, 2023 at 9:31 AM

      Or we didn't shield his eyes well during "Law and Order: SVU" ....and he picked up some ideas from Olivia Benson.... :-)

      Delete

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