I guess I'm still very fortunate. I've not queried lots of other parents of nine year old boys as to whether they still tuck their kids in at night, staying until the news of the day is re-capped and secrets are shared. I don't know if they rub their children's shoulders until the childish patter slows and the shining eyes are veiled until the morning. I am a bit embarrassed to ask, lest someone tell me I'm coddling my son and interfering with his emotional development or 'manliness.'
Given what I learn, however, I'm more than willing to take that risk. Last night Colin told me that he wants to adopt...a penguin. Actually, its a virtual rather than a real penguin. Because he and Sian share one on "Club Penguin" he rarely has much say in the gender of the babies....so far, he told me, they are all females. And oh my goodness, you should see the kinds of clothes they wear. Determined to assert his prerogatives, Colin is going to adopt his own penguin...a boy. He's already saving up virtual coins to buy them toys.
What's amazing to me is the total lack of resentment he displays towards his rather bossy sister. When he torments Sian it is usually from an excess of affection (spiced with a very boyish type of mischief). If some "awful miracle" occurred, and she did something really terrible to him, he would still love Sian, he told me last night. She really does love you, I reassured him as I hugged him before shutting the bedroom door and moving on Sian's room.
It's only going to take her another decade to realize it.
2 commentaires:
Ditto to the tucking in and hugging - in fact our 10 yr old son fairly demands a snuggle hug and kiss each night in bed - doesn't matter if we've quasi-tucked him in, it has to be the real mccoy. Something tells me this isn't coddling - it's about growing a soul.
And ditto to the Club Penguin angst - his little sister has a 1/2 penguin (no real account) but she rarely shows much of an interest.
And ditto to the sibling dynamics - their "punishment" two days ago, following last-day-of-spring break bickering and fights, was to do a good deed for the other sibling every day for a week. So far so good....they've been very nice and loving with each other again.
Anyways, I hope you don't mind - I've linked your site on my holy-schmidt blogger site.
Ohhh...I love your idea. I'll try that here.
And I'm honored to be linked to your site.
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