I don't have much here about my son. He's only two and he doesn't really talk, certainly not like his sister. But he did something so funny to me the other night that I wanted to make sure I wrote it down and didn't forget it. As I said earlier, we took my mother out for dinner for her birthday. After dinner, there was a dessert table. The Boy Child may not speak much, but he is clear on his like for all things dessert. So, I carried him over there and we selected some cookies for his plate. Happiness reigned. His word for cookies is the Norwegian word: Kake. Pronounced with equal emphasis on each syllable. Ka-Ke.
We go back to the table and he just gazes at his plate for a moment. Then, very methodically, he picks up each cookie, one by one, and takes a bite from each, putting the tasted cookie back on the plate before moving on to the next one. Then, having ranked them in his own mind in order of tastiness (I presume), he stuffs them into his mouth. The plate is now empty. He looks at me and pleads: Kake? As if to say, all gone, get more. One of his hands, however, is closed. So I say, show me your hand. He holds out his left hand, quite empty. I say, no, show me your other hand. He takes his left hand back and looks down at his hands, brow furrowed in concentration, and, slowly, uncurls the fingers of his right hand and then carefully transfers the two cookies from his right hand to his left hand. Transfer finished, he proudly displayed the now cookie-less right hand for my inspection.
All I could do was laugh. And yes, I gave him another cookie.
Posted by Random Penseur at March 9, 2005 10:44 AMPriceless!!
It seems BC is a very good student of GC. As always, thanks for sharing.
The logic and perceptiveness of children is both amazing and charming.
One day when my boy child was about two, I looked over and said, "Boy, behave!" He looked at me with a glint in his eye and replied, "But Mom, I'm being haved."
Posted by: JL at March 9, 2005 11:27 AMSweet, sweet story. I love it. The BC sounds so serious and determined!
Posted by: Amber at March 9, 2005 05:53 PMThose must have been some perty small cookies if he could hide 'em in his closed hand. No wonder he wanted more! Be careful y'don't reward decietful behavior just 'cause it's cute, though. Kids are always learning and testing their boundries. That's the only job they have at that age! ;)
Posted by: Tuning Spork at March 9, 2005 11:37 PMThe two year old girls in the neighborhood better watch out! It looks like we've got a smooth one on our hands.
So adorable. Your children really are incredible.
Posted by: C at March 10, 2005 01:05 AMHehe. What a smooth operator. Just wait until he CAN talk well. ;-)
Posted by: Jim at March 10, 2005 05:58 AMAwww TS, RP and his wife are competent parents and BC will not fare any the worse for wear just because he got a cookie from Daddy by deceptive methods. He's TWO.
Having said that --- I'd have given him a cookie, too. But you do realize that I'm a grandmother, now? We have a different set of rules from Mommies. Aheh.
Posted by: Margi at March 10, 2005 12:54 PMI sort of agree with both TS and Margi. Yes, kids will take advantage of any cracks in your facade, and you should not reward dishonesty. However, charm and creative problem-solving are always valuable characteristics to have!
Posted by: GrammarQueen at March 10, 2005 01:50 PMThanks for all the great comments. TS, you have a very good point, but just the same I think you have to reward them if they can make you laugh while they are trying to manipulate them. At least, maybe a little. I would have had to have had a much harder heart not to have responded to that little show he put on.
Posted by: RP at March 10, 2005 04:16 PMOh no! I don't think BC was being deceitful at all. Not at all...no, Random, you asked him to show you his hand. He was conflicted because there was something IN his left hand, so how could he show you his bare hand? That's why he transferred the cookies.
It didn't occur to him to try and get away with anything. Just my take on it.
(Am I going to be a GREAT Nana or what?? HA!)
Posted by: Amber at March 11, 2005 04:26 PM