Jet-lag: We are doing so much better! The night that I wrote about how little sleep we were all getting, we turned a corner. I think the latest anyone has slept is still 6 AM (and that was Daniel, and it only happened once), but we are feeling pretty normal until evening rolls around. Hurray for that!
And, the conversation. Daniel talks a lot about how naughty Esther is. However, he doesn't seem terribly upset about it, and I know that the Chinese word often translated as "naughty" is not entirely negative. (In fact, a former student of mine told me that people think a child Esther's age is more adorable if they're a little bit naughty.) This morning he asked me why Esther is so naughty (he asks "why" questions as often any preschooler I've ever known!), and I told him that maybe it's because she's four and maybe it's because she's not used to have a big brother. A little while later he asked me what she was like before. I told him that she did used to listen a little better than she has been lately! Then at lunch we had the following conversation, as best as I can remember (and translate!) it:
D[aniel]: Esther is cute!
M[e]: She's cute some of the time.
D: She's not very cute when she cries. Or when she hits me. But sometimes she's a lot of fun. She was fun when she pulled off the cabbage leaves. [He made stir-fried cabbage for lunch, and he let her help by pulling off the leaves. She was a very happy little girl!]....Mommy, I've very patient with Esther. When she slaps my face or pulls my hair or hits me, I don't kick her or yell at her, I just say, "Get down."
M: You really are very patient with Esther.
D: I don't like it when she hits me, or cries. [We have had issues with Esther coming up to Daniel and spontaneously hitting him, then when he pushes her away she will either come crying to a parent or boil over with righteous indignation and hit him harder.]
M: Did your little brothers at the orphanage [he was part of a group of children that included a lot of small boys] ever hit you?
D: If they did, I hit them back. But I don't hit Esther, because she's fun. The two of us are a lot alike. [Here he explained how they're alike, but unfortunately I didn't understand it. I see a lot of similarities myself; they really are well-matched!]
M: I think the two of you have similar senses of humor. You both like to tease people.
D: laughs
Well! That was quite a conversation. It was fun being able to talk about feelings with Daniel. But boy, if the only reason he's so tolerant of Esther is that he thinks she's fun, I'm sure glad that he thinks that!!
1 comment:
Sounds like you guys are doing well! Luke's little sister who just turned 5 likes to randomly hit him too. She is quite jealous of how much attention Luke requires. He tolerates it well and usually just yells at her and tells her no. He tells me there was A Ton of hitting at the orphanage it seems to have been common place.
How cool that Daniel cooked dinner! Luke is so very immature I can't wait for him to start showing a little maturity in that way. Praying for all of you!
Tracy
Post a Comment