Sunday, May 30, 2004
LOUDER!
Max has two favorite songs, both from Lyle Lovett's Step Inside This House album. One he refers to as The Bear Song and the other as The House Song. He asks to hear them each and every time we get in the car. Relentlessly.
Intellectually, I know that repetition is a cornerstone of early childhood learning, but emotionally, I would sometimes rather bang my thumb with a hammer than listen to The Bear Song one more time. That's when, I admit, I resort to a little white lie: The songs are broken.
And that's when Max, as if on cue, replies, "Don't worry, mommy. Daddy will fix it."
I do not bother to explain to Max that in our household, that is not exactly how most things get fixed.
When I do acquiesce to Max's wishes and turn on The Bear Song or the The House Song, I can count on another response from him: "LOUDER!"
It does not matter how loudly the song is playing when we begin. He always wants it LOUDER. So I have learned that I might as well say "no" early, because I will have to say no, and I'd prefer to do it while my eardrums are still comfortable.
I feel as if I have peered into the future, and when I am 55 and have two teenage sons, it is not a harmonious picture.
Intellectually, I know that repetition is a cornerstone of early childhood learning, but emotionally, I would sometimes rather bang my thumb with a hammer than listen to The Bear Song one more time. That's when, I admit, I resort to a little white lie: The songs are broken.
And that's when Max, as if on cue, replies, "Don't worry, mommy. Daddy will fix it."
I do not bother to explain to Max that in our household, that is not exactly how most things get fixed.
When I do acquiesce to Max's wishes and turn on The Bear Song or the The House Song, I can count on another response from him: "LOUDER!"
It does not matter how loudly the song is playing when we begin. He always wants it LOUDER. So I have learned that I might as well say "no" early, because I will have to say no, and I'd prefer to do it while my eardrums are still comfortable.
I feel as if I have peered into the future, and when I am 55 and have two teenage sons, it is not a harmonious picture.
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