"Don't be a baby!"
May 15 '00
This editorial is a companion piece to tiffer0220's editorial, "Hello, baby," in which she describes the problems she constantly faces because her son is smaller than average. I have just the opposite problem, and being at this end of the spectrum is no picnic either.
My son is 3 and a quarter years old, and he is taller than average. I don't have the exact stats but it's not so much his height that causes problems as his verbal ability. Here's an example of how he communicates:
On Mother's Day, my husband had a little box all wrapped up, and he handed it to Lucas, to bring to me. Lucas turned it all around in his hands and shook it, examining it closely. Then he said, "I wonder what's inside." I've written in other epinions how he'll correct me if I misidentify a dinosaur, "No, Mommy, that's not a brachiosaurus, it's an apatosaurus." He is explicit in what he wants, and he'll ask me, "Please Mommy, can you make me some cinnamon toast? Can I taste the cinnamon sugar?" Or how about, when I ask, "What are you doing in the refrigerator?" he'll respond, "Oh, I'm just getting a little drink of milk."
I can only pray he'll talk to me this much when he's a teenager.
Whatever the future holds for us, the present gives us some difficulties, day-to-day. Because Lucas is tall, speaks so clearly and has such a large vocabulary, everyone always assumes he's at least four or even five years old. I'm in no hurry for my baby to grow up, and it's difficult when people assume your child is much older than he really is.
They don't understand why small disappointments or minor injuries will bring tears; they don't understand why he carries a security blanket a lot of the time; they don't understand why I'll still carry him on my hip in the supermarket on occasion. A really big area of lack of comprehension was why he was still in diapers, but I'm happy to report that the potty training is going smoothly. (Lest I jinx myself, let me clarify: there are the occasional accidents, but for the most part, he "gets" it.)
I get looks. I overhear comments, "What a baby!" Not to mention, "Look how she's spoiling him," when someone sees me cutting his food or helping him eat.
Obviously, people who know me do not make these comments, and I frankly don't care what the rest of the world thinks of me. But I do worry about what they think of my son, and how that will affect the way he thinks about himself.
He has an older cousin, much like him, tall and well-spoken. She's 9 years old now and constantly faces the same higher expectations. My sister-in-law and I have talked about this, and we agree that all we can do is get the information out there for the people that must have it: the teachers, coaches, and counselors. At home, we make sure that our children know how much we love them, and how wonderful we think they are, regardless of whether they measure up to what a stranger expects of them.
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
QuietI
|
|
Member: Joan Hedman
Location: Chandler, AZ
Reviews written: 89
Trusted by: 70 members
About Me:
Busy. Life. You know.
|
|
|
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.