Children are fascinating. I have decided this. This evening Peter (my husband) and I had a delightful dinner with our friends Tad and Leah and their daughter Brigid. Brigid is one of Peter's students. She's loud and charismatic just the way I like my 6 year olds to be. The reason for my revelation is that she (unlike most 6 year olds) can hold an entire conversation and talk about things other than herself. It's quite impressive and enjoyable to be with her.
Throughout our dinner and the drive home many subjects were discussed but a recurring theme was child rearing. As many of you know Peter and I were married at the beginning of December. We have had many conferences regarding how we feel we might like to raise our children but I feel like the most important idea we have ever had was being flexible. All through our evening I watched the interactions between Brigid and her parents and the one thing that shown through like a beacon of fluorescent parenting wisdom was that flexibility is not only important but crucial for sustaining a happy family dynamic.
Picking your battles, as people like to say, is the first rule of flexibility. So your child wants an extra piece of chocolate. Maybe it's not such a good idea so close to bedtime but is it better to have your guests witness a fit or have part of the evening ruin over one morsel of sweetness. Elasticity comes in many forms and fashions and I think being a great parent is a lot like being a rubber band.
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