When my mom was reading me a picture book not terribly long ago, we met a character called "The Clever Fox." Of course I asked her what it meant to be clever, and I believe she said it meant "smart and sneaky". Now, sneaky doesn't always have to be bad, it can also lend the ability to catch others off guard or simply surprise them. This is something I am being reminded on a fairly regular basis, especially this year.
In the hospital three years ago, when they handed me my son, he looked me straight in the eye and seemed to size me up. Oh no! I thought, he's already smarter than me! I hadn't expected this so soon! I did prepare myself for the possibility that my children would grow up and go to school longer than me or be wiser in some way, or perhaps outsmart me a time or two. But starting from birth?! No! How would I ever train him up to be a good person if he could outsmart me from birth?! I think that before becoming a mother, I assumed that the child would already know who was boss when he or she arrived. Not so! (all parents please stop laughing!) Every child hits phases where they try different things to see what works, but beware, it is not just a phase, it will stay until you sweep it out. Some kids push harder than others, each using his or her most talented method, be it cleverness, tantrums, or I didn't hear you. I don't have any recommendations for anybody aside from get to know your child.
My son is going to be an actor. Early on we taught him to do happy and sad faces, mad and surprised faces. My favorite is when he pretends to be cold and has some convincing shivers. I'm starting to rethink my encouragement on this activity! Today, when my son seemed so sad and pitiful that I almost gave in, I noticed how he seemed to be watching me behind the frown, twitching cheeks and downward glances. I looked him in the eye and said, "that's a pretty good sad face." He looked up and smiled his proudest smile. Haha! He's three! We in the adult world don't give enough credit to these youngest children, their intelligence, quickness and cleverness. It should be obvious, they learn to speak a foreign language starting at age one!
We had a cookout tonight, ending in ice cream cones. After making my boy finish his hot dog bun and handing him a cone, I set the open box of ice cream right next to him. (duh, mom!) This kid would lick the ice cream out of the cone and not eat the cone--a sticky process. Well this irritated me, so I explained how he should be eating it, and then went to put the hot dog buns away only to find in the bag a wadded up half-bun with ketchup smeared in it. "Ugh! We'll let it pass tonight, since we're having so much fun," I say to my husband.
Then, noticing my son had more ice cream in his cone, perplexed, my hubby laughs. "He's using his cone as a scoop!"
Never underestimate the cleverness of kids!
