Seth's 1/2 mark
I have a teacher friend who says that the 1/2 mark in a child’s age can signal a sudden change in growth or behavior. She says that after teaching kindergarten for 13 years, she could always tell when a child reached the 1/2 mark. Suddenly at 5 1/2 they all start falling out of their chairs. Sure enough, one day when Savannah was about 5 1/2, she fell down 3 times, no visible reason.
Well, Seth is 3 1/2. Two weeks ago, he would come when I called. If he ran away, I could tell him in my deeper voice to come back to Mama, and he did. Now I have to go find him. Usually I find him flailing or flopping on the floor, waiting for nothing, not intimidated by my deeper tone at all, the voice that’s supposed to make me a foot taller. Savannah doesn’t fall down anymore. So I’m hoping Seth isn’t still lying in the hallway in grade school.
Seth’s redeeming merit is his sudden burst of affection. He comes at me with his little boy, “I love you,” rubbing my head or face, getting up really close in my face to kiss my cheek or nose. Perhaps it’s time to change my strategy and promise a hug if he comes. There’s an idea.
