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The best behaved child in the world
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I pick my daughter up from school, and she is in a great mood. She’s been here since a little after eight this morning; I throw her in the car and drive her to Parsha class. I watch her for a little while, and like what I see: she pays attention and participates. When we drive home, she says, “Why is that class so short?”
I tell her that it’s almost five PM, and that she has been learning all day. “You have to play sometime,” I say, but when we get home, she immediately starts on her homework. She makes herself a snack, without spilling. When she is done, she puts her homework back in her folder, puts the folders in her backpack, and closes the zipper. Then she asks to watch the Prince of Egypt and disappears into the basement to quietly, calmly watch her movie.
Who is this child? Is she finally becoming a good child?
Ever since she turned six, my daughter Isabella’s not-so-perfect behavior has gone into overdrive; few days go by without some enormous melodrama that draws the whole family in. In addition to her usual naughtiness, this one knows how to deliver biting remarks, and when deemed necessary, a punch or two. Crying is high on the list as well, as is ‘get back’ behavior: when mommy is mean, wait a day or two, and eat her favorite lipstick. Ask her very sweetly to cook something complicated, and then refuse to eat it. Make a hole in your tights five minutes after putting them on. “Forget” to flush the toilet. Oh, the ways in which you can drive your mother nuts are myriad, and she knows them all.
Each time we have ‘issues’, I look at my husband, and ask, “When will this get better”?
“I’ve heard kids become really good when they turn eight,” he tells me. He’s a therapist, who specializes in young children, so he must know. I hang on to his statement and wait. I have been waiting a very long time.
Is today the day that I’m finally seeing what a perfect child looks like? I am so surprised I barely dare to enjoy the moment. But wait; she did tell me she was sent to the office this morning because she refused to do her Hebrew work, so there’s that. However, that was at least 7 hours ago, and how good can you get? We’re not looking for the impossible here, after all.
Judaism teaches us that every moment happens but once; it will never come again. Right now, in this moment, my daughter is a perfect child. Frankly, I don’t care if she goes back to being a menace later tonight; right now is all that matters. Right now, I have the best-behaved child in the world. And right now, I am going to enjoy that.
For more on what to expect from a second grader, visit Family ed, or check out the NNCC
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