She is the baby in the house. We try to elevate her, give her responsibilities which she fulfills with timely commitment and joy. But then she retreats in her baby stage, soft voice, cute demeanor. Not my favorite but I love her nonetheless.
When we visit friends, babies are drawn to her like bees to honey. She is attentive, sweet, patient, kind. The little ones feel safe with her, seen, embraced. She is suddenly mature. What a sight to behold.
When she speaks English with kids her voice is clear and confident. Most often at home and even at school, she tries to blend in, to be camouflaged. She says she gets self conscious when Conrad listens intently and corrects her. Or kids roll her eyes at her contribution. But it’s not always. Certain kids bring out the best in her, or the discomfort.
She will prevail. Today she did the dishes. She does her homework with less and less help, and is self sufficient reading. It has been challenging as her dysgraphia spills into a bit of dyslexia. But she works hard. Harder than I did at her age. And she prevails. Just as Jackie works hard at keeping her back straight. This hard work, we would remove it if we could, from our kids lives. But it reality the hard work to overcome obstacles is what shapes their character. Let’s encourage their growth, cheer them on with honesty, give them space while being present. I hope we’ll guide them well on the right path.