Acting Without the Drama

October 30, 2009.  Children are awesome.  They surprise me, they amuse me, they teach me.

Today was my middle son’s birthday.  We decided to get him a scooter for his birthday, and when my wife went to go pick it up yesterday, she had our daughter with her.  She told our girl that the present was a surprise, and that no one could tell him what it was.

As soon as he walked in the door when he came home from school, our daughter yelled, “Scooter!  Scooter!  Scooter!”  Luckily, he’s learned to tune her out over the years, so he didn’t notice.  My wife grabbed the girl and went around the corner.  She told her again that it was a secret.  Our daughter put her hands over her mouth, giggled hysterically and said, “I’m going to tell him!  I have to tell him!”  My wife told her that she couldn’t, that we wanted to keep it a secret.  Our girl said, “I can’t do it!  I have to tell him!”  After further talking, she finally agreed to not say anything.

Yeah, right.

She made it all the way through that night and today.  She made it all the way up to the end of his birthday dinner.  We were minutes away from opening his presents before she blurted out, “Scooter!  Scooter!  Scooter!”

So, it wasn’t much of a surprise for our birthday boy, but it sure is one heck of a funny story.

I love the honesty and impulsiveness of young children.  She loves her older brother.  She knew he would be excited about the scooter.  She really wanted to tell him.

And she told us exactly what she was going to do.

As she grows older, we’ll work with her on her impulse control, but for now, we’ll just sit back and smile or laugh or do constant spit-takes as we see her interacting with the world around her.  Every moment is a revelation.  Every new experience is relished.  Nothing is held back.

And that’s the learning part.

As I get older, I find that I mute my positive feelings way too much.  Actually, I’m not sure that ANY muting is okay.  Pure unadulterated joy doesn’t need a filter, does it?  I guess that I do it because I’m worried about the other shoe dropping.  Or maybe it’s not socially acceptable to really experience joy.  I’m not sure.  What I am sure of is that I find it so endearing in little children, which is probably one of the reasons that I love them so much.

So, that’s what I had to say tonight.  And I just had to tell you!  I just had to!! 

Rate it: 1 2 3 4 5 (1 ratings)	Email it