That would be Lucas. Yes, my soon-to-be 8-year old is turning into a little parent. For those of you who have multiple children or have girls in the mix, you would know this phenomenon only too well. For me, it's been quite eye-popping.
On the way back from getting Lucas from school one day, I told Liam that I had to hold his hand because there were a lot of cars about. I heard a voice chirp up.
"You don't want Mama to hold your hand? Ok", here Lucas is nodding at Liam and looking down at him with this earnest and concerned expression on his face, "Mama doesn't have to hold your hand right now, but when we get off the grass and on the sidewalk, Mama has to hold your hand, ok?" And I wasn't even absent! I'm getting ousted by my own son! All I could do was just stand there, snapping at air for a moment.
In the evenings, Lucas looks upon it as one of his "rights" or perhaps duties (as the surrogate parent that is), to do whatever is in his power to get Liam up to his room and ready for bed. I am not quite sure how it happened, but it seems to me there has been a subtle shift from what I had intended as playing with Liam to Lucas feeling it is his responsibility.
Lucas makes me feel like I have to act differently towards him now, like he is more mature? Responsible? I am not sure either of those words completely works, but the point is I can feel the move into another phase of his development, and I am waiting patiently for the other wonders it will bring.
On the way back from getting Lucas from school one day, I told Liam that I had to hold his hand because there were a lot of cars about. I heard a voice chirp up.
"You don't want Mama to hold your hand? Ok", here Lucas is nodding at Liam and looking down at him with this earnest and concerned expression on his face, "Mama doesn't have to hold your hand right now, but when we get off the grass and on the sidewalk, Mama has to hold your hand, ok?" And I wasn't even absent! I'm getting ousted by my own son! All I could do was just stand there, snapping at air for a moment.
In the evenings, Lucas looks upon it as one of his "rights" or perhaps duties (as the surrogate parent that is), to do whatever is in his power to get Liam up to his room and ready for bed. I am not quite sure how it happened, but it seems to me there has been a subtle shift from what I had intended as playing with Liam to Lucas feeling it is his responsibility.
Lucas makes me feel like I have to act differently towards him now, like he is more mature? Responsible? I am not sure either of those words completely works, but the point is I can feel the move into another phase of his development, and I am waiting patiently for the other wonders it will bring.
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