Random Thoughts

As a parent, little moments happen.  Sometimes they leave me enduringly fascinated.

Here is one of them.

A couple of weeks ago, during a completely random moment in the middle of a random conversation , I asked Aden who was the happiest person he knows.  I expected what I thought to be a childlike answer, something along the lines of, "It's Max because he has a Nintendo DS."   Instead, without a split second passing, Aden replied, "I am!"

Yes, Aden is the happiest that I know, but I would not have anticipated that he would perceive himself to be the happiest person that he knows.  How wonderful!

I was overjoyed by this, but then I realized I don't know child development well enough to assume its meaning.  Would every nine year old, in the child's self-orientedness, answer this way?  I thought back, would I have answered this way?  Would Dave?  Is a child this age capable of assessing his own overall happiness?  Maybe it's like, "HEY, I got a pop an hour ago, I'm the happiest person I know!"  I don't know these things.

 

What I do know is that Aden's perceptions so often take me by surprise.  One day not long ago he walked me through the family dynamics at each person's house that he visits.  "At so and so's house, the mom is in charge...  At so and so's house, the dad is in charge...  I know this because (examples)...  AND, at MAX's house, MAX is in charge!!!"  Yes, his perceptions can be incredibly accurate!