Steal a toy from their brother after being asked to share. Cover the table in yogurt when you walk away for one minute. Soak the bathroom floor after gentle reminders that water stays in the bathtub. Dart toward the street when we’ve talked about that a million times. Draw on the wall after a reminder that coloring is for the paper. Declare that you’re no longer friends.
Just when they do all that, you can also expect…
A confident reminder that we aren’t supposed to walk on the yellow floor at the train station. An unsolicited offer to share toys with brother. An innocent interruption that we need to pray before dinner. An offer to help clean up the dinner mess. An out of nowhere I love you.
The stuff up top will evolve with time. Probably more complicated. Definitely stuff I can’t fathom now.
But the bottom stuff? Don’t forget that’s happening too.
Gratefully Dad 