One of the bonuses of parenting is being able to take credit for your child when they do something good.
“Oh yes, did you notice that? Isn’t he amazing?? I made him myself. Why thank you, yes I *am* an incredible mother.”
The trouble with Thud is… I think… maybe… I can’t take credit for him. Because he’s BETTER than me.
Let me tell you a story (and this is just one example of many).
The other night we were out having dinner when a young girl, probably aged about 9 or 10, ran up and asked if I could move my chair so she could get past me.
You need to understand: this was a poor decision on her part. My chair was right up against a column. It was an impossible space for her to fit through. She could have gone about 723 ways past our table and the only way she could’ve made it more difficult is if she’d tried to crawl underneath.
I really need you to understand this so you don’t crucify me for what I said next… I mean, POP wouldn’t have chosen that route. For God’s sake, a RAT knows to choose the path of least resistance. This kid was old enough to know better.
I gazed at her coolly and said, slowly and calmly, “do you think you could choose a different way?” {subtext: use your head, child}. “Oh yeah!” She said, and skipped off behind Sarge.
Minutes later, Thud asked if we could swap seats so he could sit next to Pop.
When he settled into my old seat, he pulled it into the table as far as it could go and said to me, “see Mum? I’m smaller! So if anyone needs to come past here they can fit now!”
Sarge gasped like a pantomime character.
I looked at my husband and whispered, “he’s just… BETTER than me, isn’t he?”
Sarge nodded way too enthusiastically.
And I felt like shit. My first instinct was to tell that child to use her head and not be an idiot.
Thud’s first instinct – KINDNESS.
Little jerk.
Beautiful little jerk
#yesiamproud #justwishitwasntalwaysmewhoendsuplookinglikeashithead #noregretsthough #wouldstilltellthatkidtotakeahike #icantcopewithstupidpeople #thudapparentlycan
