Monday, May 18, 2009
Omniscient Mamas
It's endearing that our kids think we're all-knowing. My preschooler loves playing games on PBSKids.org. She'll be in the middle of a game while nonchalantly imploring, "Mom, can you help me get back to such-and-such page?" I ride in on my valiant white steed (aka my well-worn slippers and faded pajamas) and save the day.
In my awesome state of omniscience, I can sometimes figure out my kids' questions and dilemmas; however, at other times, I literally have no clue. For example, I am stumped when my five-year-old son asks me to transform his Transformer toy from a rescue vehicle into a robot. On occasion, I have performed the seemingly basic transformation, but usually I am ill-equipped.
Another example of how my kids think I know everything is evidenced by their questions about where things are. Like when my daughter says, "Mom, where's that Happy Meal toy from yesterday?" First of all, I can barely remember which toy she's even referring to. Secondly, we have so many toys that I have absolutely no recollection of where that particular one happens to be hiding at the moment. The easy reply when our kids ask us where things are is to say, "It's right where you left it."
If our kids only knew how little we really know. I will savor this sweet stage of innocence for I know it will fade all too quickly. I will blink and they will be older and think that they are all-knowing. I'm all too reticent for those days to come, but will try to bask in the glory of these days while I am still their omniscient hero. I hope my kids' trusting spirits will remain with them through their future transformations, as their reasoning abilities advance and mature.
Maybe one way to bridge this gap is to slowly let our little kids know that we're not omniscient. But, that wouldn't be much fun. I'll keep them thinking I know it all just for a little while longer. Any tips on the Transformer toys?
In my awesome state of omniscience, I can sometimes figure out my kids' questions and dilemmas; however, at other times, I literally have no clue. For example, I am stumped when my five-year-old son asks me to transform his Transformer toy from a rescue vehicle into a robot. On occasion, I have performed the seemingly basic transformation, but usually I am ill-equipped.
Another example of how my kids think I know everything is evidenced by their questions about where things are. Like when my daughter says, "Mom, where's that Happy Meal toy from yesterday?" First of all, I can barely remember which toy she's even referring to. Secondly, we have so many toys that I have absolutely no recollection of where that particular one happens to be hiding at the moment. The easy reply when our kids ask us where things are is to say, "It's right where you left it."
If our kids only knew how little we really know. I will savor this sweet stage of innocence for I know it will fade all too quickly. I will blink and they will be older and think that they are all-knowing. I'm all too reticent for those days to come, but will try to bask in the glory of these days while I am still their omniscient hero. I hope my kids' trusting spirits will remain with them through their future transformations, as their reasoning abilities advance and mature.
Maybe one way to bridge this gap is to slowly let our little kids know that we're not omniscient. But, that wouldn't be much fun. I'll keep them thinking I know it all just for a little while longer. Any tips on the Transformer toys?
Labels: kids, moms, transformer
