Jacob and I had a rough time the other night. He walked right by me when he came in, and I said something about saying hello. "Juju, you just saw me yesterday!" I pointed out this was the first time I saw him that day and he could say hello, and he spread his arms expressively and said, "I"m turning six" as if that explained nonchalance. Then we had a real row when he started to help himself to a fruit bar at six o'clock. I said no because dinner would be ready in five or ten minutes. He yelled (yes, he did) that I didn't understand--he couldn't wait! I told him he could and would. He sort of got his manners back and later we had a talk and I asked what we could do about attitude. His solution, after long periods of "I'm thinking," was that he could be nicer to me, which I appreciated.
But any differences vanished about ten o'clock. I went out to get the little dog and was sitting on the back steps staring at the full moon. I called Jacob to see it, and we talked about the man in the moon. He didn't see it, but after a while he said,"I see him. It's my first time." The look on his face was full of awe. We talked about green cheese, and then he wanted to know about men on the moon. I suggested if there were any, they were aliens because we'd heard no news of expeditions to the moon.
"I have an alien for a friend. He lives on the moon. His name is Jack." Jacob called "Hello, Jack" so loudly I expected the neighbors to come running. Jack apparently answered him, and Jacob called back, "Can you see me? I'm at my grandmother's house." He then told me all about Jack and asked if I saw him right by one of the eyes of the man in the moon. It was truly a magical moment with a child, and I only reluctantly said we had to go in when Sophie started chewing her leash. But Jacob insisted we both had to call goodnight to Jack.
My faith is restored. He's still my sweet boy, even if he is about to turn six.
But any differences vanished about ten o'clock. I went out to get the little dog and was sitting on the back steps staring at the full moon. I called Jacob to see it, and we talked about the man in the moon. He didn't see it, but after a while he said,"I see him. It's my first time." The look on his face was full of awe. We talked about green cheese, and then he wanted to know about men on the moon. I suggested if there were any, they were aliens because we'd heard no news of expeditions to the moon.
"I have an alien for a friend. He lives on the moon. His name is Jack." Jacob called "Hello, Jack" so loudly I expected the neighbors to come running. Jack apparently answered him, and Jacob called back, "Can you see me? I'm at my grandmother's house." He then told me all about Jack and asked if I saw him right by one of the eyes of the man in the moon. It was truly a magical moment with a child, and I only reluctantly said we had to go in when Sophie started chewing her leash. But Jacob insisted we both had to call goodnight to Jack.
My faith is restored. He's still my sweet boy, even if he is about to turn six.
2 comments:
You might tell him that the Japanese don't see a man in the moon. They see a rabbit. Andy had an imaginary friend for a while. The girls did, too. Theirs were called theblinkers, and they lived under the breakfast table and routinely removed the girls' shoes while we were eating.
I think imaginary friends are a healthy sign in young chldren. Jacob also has one who lives on a farm and one who tells him all about Bigfoot--they may be one and the same. I confuse easily.
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