Beyond Her Years
Saturday, July 16th, 2016From Friday Mom – Erin:
Despite admitting that she feels badly drawing comparison’s, Charlotte’s new teacher (and Rory’s former one), cannot help but advise us on just how very different she is when compared to her brother at this age. Both Rory and Charlotte moved up to the younger toddler classroom at daycare at eighteen months old, making them on the younger side of the age-range for that room. With Rory, we wondered if he was ready, if he would stand up for him self, if he would be lost, and if he would be comfortable. He was fine, of course, but we were fretful nonetheless. With Charlotte, we knew there was no holding her back. She had aged out of her prior classroom months ago, and was thirsting for new and more challenging environs and discoveries.
And she is thriving.
Her teachers claim that she is wise beyond her years in just about everything she does: the way she stands firmly in her wants and desires (to the point of being bullish and unmoving in her demands), the way she teases her classmates and teachers, her sense of humor, her independence, her manipulation of the little boys in her class, and the way she stands up for herself with fierce tenacity (despite coming in around the 25th percentile on height. . .). In each instance, people who spend any amount of time around her consistently remark on how much personality is packed into her spunky little self.
Her teacher’s reflections on the topic this week were how surprising it is for her to see when compared to her brother’s far more measured and reserved personality. As she explained it, Rory would have been in full blown tears in some of the circumstances Charlotte puts herself into. She, on the other hand, just barrels right on through. And it is fascinating to see. And we find it interesting to listen to the commentary as she settles in to her new environs. It’s fun to see things through another set of eyes as her teachers share their thoughts and perspectives on her “spunk.”
Sure, it makes life a bit more difficult at bedtime or breakfast when she’s not getting her way. But other times it is amazing to let her take the lead and see just how self sufficient she can be. I hope upon hope that she never loses that tenacity and vision.
Guess we’ll have to wait and see.