This week I have been thinking a lot about how AMF will turn out as a person and wondering how what Rochelle and I do will affect that. Before she was born I had moments of panic where, upon being born, we would have to make snap decisions that would in that very moment, irreversible affect the out come of her entire life. And in that snap moment I would be playing Xbox and miss the correct answer, or even worse, be fully committed to answering the question and get it horribly wrong.
So far, the only snap decisions we have made have been what to dress her in.
It appears, that the process is a slow but happy grind of repetition and observation. It appears that we have time to make mistakes and correct them. It's more about working with her and being part of her life on a day to day basis, engaging her everyday and pushing her to express new things. Each day she shows more of a personality, bit by bit becoming a little person, albeit now a whiny almost bipolar person with a rapidly shifting dynamic who keeps shitting her pants, but a person nonetheless. I can't express how much I look forward to seeing it develop further.
Since we had found out we were pregnant I've been more aware of children and observing their behaviour, both in public and in family settings. Let's face it, family excepted (both out of blind love and the possibilities of losing readership), some of these kids are assholes. I don't mean the kids that have fits in the mall because they are over tired or hungry, but kids that are truly assholes. The kids that are mean. The bullies that hold you down, stuff grass in your mouth and down you pants (thanks for the memories Richard Eacons). That type of kid that after hearing about how they enticed another kid into eating a dog turd, you say to yourself "Wow... that kid is an asshole".
Never out loud mind you, you can't say it out loud because it's rude. Not the word asshole, but rather the thought of calling a kid an asshole. God forbid a child becomes aware that they are an asshole, they might actually learn something.
So how do children get that way? More importantly, how do they not get that way? How do we ensure that AMF won't be the bully, that she becomes the polite kid that everybody thinks to themselves "Wow.. that kid is really nice".
As I'm sitting at the table typing this, AMF is in her highchair playing with her toys. She will test each toy in her mouth and then fire it off into space, belly laughing the whole time. Then when they're all gone, I run around the room picking them up. Repeat. Repeat. Is she learning to be an asshole?
I'm not sure what the right answer is. Maybe just worrying about it is a good start.
To see another five minutes with AMF Click here.
So far, the only snap decisions we have made have been what to dress her in.
It appears, that the process is a slow but happy grind of repetition and observation. It appears that we have time to make mistakes and correct them. It's more about working with her and being part of her life on a day to day basis, engaging her everyday and pushing her to express new things. Each day she shows more of a personality, bit by bit becoming a little person, albeit now a whiny almost bipolar person with a rapidly shifting dynamic who keeps shitting her pants, but a person nonetheless. I can't express how much I look forward to seeing it develop further.
Since we had found out we were pregnant I've been more aware of children and observing their behaviour, both in public and in family settings. Let's face it, family excepted (both out of blind love and the possibilities of losing readership), some of these kids are assholes. I don't mean the kids that have fits in the mall because they are over tired or hungry, but kids that are truly assholes. The kids that are mean. The bullies that hold you down, stuff grass in your mouth and down you pants (thanks for the memories Richard Eacons). That type of kid that after hearing about how they enticed another kid into eating a dog turd, you say to yourself "Wow... that kid is an asshole".
Never out loud mind you, you can't say it out loud because it's rude. Not the word asshole, but rather the thought of calling a kid an asshole. God forbid a child becomes aware that they are an asshole, they might actually learn something.
So how do children get that way? More importantly, how do they not get that way? How do we ensure that AMF won't be the bully, that she becomes the polite kid that everybody thinks to themselves "Wow.. that kid is really nice".
As I'm sitting at the table typing this, AMF is in her highchair playing with her toys. She will test each toy in her mouth and then fire it off into space, belly laughing the whole time. Then when they're all gone, I run around the room picking them up. Repeat. Repeat. Is she learning to be an asshole?
I'm not sure what the right answer is. Maybe just worrying about it is a good start.
To see another five minutes with AMF Click here.
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