In first grade, Miriam completes a book report every week. For several weeks in a row, she was assigned
Amelia Bedelia books. Remember those? I used to love them. As is our habit, all the kids would huddle around me as I read the "new" book for the first time. They were engaged; they enjoyed it. -- but they didn't
get it.
Though Miriam has had her own share of developmental struggles, reading comprehension has never been one of them. As I read the first
Amelia Bedelia aloud, I knew she was going to have a hard time with the reading comprehension test. You see, Amelia Bedelia is entirely literal... and so are my children. They didn't get why Amelia Bedelia wouldn't be selling pieces of her lawn and plants at her
yard sale. I tried to explain why the scenario was supposed to be funny, and I even believed that they understood. However, a few days later we were admiring a neighbor's plant and Noah asked, "Oh! Maybe we can buy it if they have a yard sale!"
I love the literalism of children. Its innocence and truth are so endearing. Their literal interpretations can pull me out of grouch and grump. Consider these anecdotes:
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| Grandma & Dido at Ukrainian Christmas in California |
The kids were fighting in the back seat of the mini van. Fighting while I'm driving, though a common occurrence, is a huge pet peeve of mine. "JUST DROP IT!" I yelled. Dead silence. Then a confused voice piped up, "Drop what, Mommy? We're not holding anything."
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| Lucy, super excited to be TWO! |
Miriam and Gus were having a conversation, in which they were conceiving hypothetical scenarios. Whatever the scenario was, Miriam inquired of Gus, "But wouldn't that just break your heart?" Gus replied, "No. Why would that break my heart? The only thing that could break my heart was if I died."
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| Hockey Game with Tot |
I was drawing a bath for Lucy. Gus comes in with an ever-so-urgent request for me. Frustrated, I snapped, "Wait a minute! I'm in the middle of something." Pause. Then, Gus responds, "No.
Actually, you're kind of on the left-ish side."
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| Somehow, Miriam turned 7 (today!) |
At the end of the day, I'd love to buy a nice fruit tree at a yard sale. And wouldn't it often be easier to drop an object than an argument? Oh, how I would love to see what images dance in the kids' heads during the consecration at Mass. Yet, something tells me that they see Christ's Body and Blood much more virtuously than I do.
