Saturday 10 November 2012

The good parts of a day


Yesterday morning on the three minute drive to school, Deaglan asked me this:

“Mommy, those kids that live in the poor place, do they have Daddies?”

“Ya, they do.”

“Then why don’t they have toys?”

“Because their mommies and daddies don’t have the same kinds of jobs that Daddy and I have. A lot of them don't have jobs at all.”

“Why not?”

“Because they aren’t as lucky as we are. That’s why it’s important to share our money with them.”

“So they can get toys for their houses?”

“Some of them don’t even have houses honey” I said, choosing my words carefully. “Sabina and Keerthana probably live in small huts that have no bathrooms or even kitchens. When they get the money we send them, they use it to buy food and clothes not toys.”

“What’s a hut?”

“Like a tent.”

And then after school, he ran through the door wearing a poppy. His teacher had dulled the sharp end of the pin with a bit of balled up masking tape.

“Who gave you that?” I asked.

“Mrs. V.”

“Why?”

“Because we need to remember the dead.”

“Oh ya? Why do we need to remember them?”

“Because they fighted for us to give us Canada. That’s why we have to wear the poppy. There’s something about blood too but I don’t remember.”

“Oh,” I turned to Naveen just then who was hitting the laptop with a plastic hammer.

“Navie, cut it out! Hammer the cushion on the couch instead please.”

“I don’t wanna hammo the couch," hitting the laptop again.

“If you hit the computer again, I’m going to take that away!”

“MAMA, YOU NOT THE BOSSA ME!”

“Actually, yes I am.” 

Then a few hours later, just before bedtime Deaglan asked me if he could listen to his song. I found it on my tablet and handed it over to him. I glanced his way watching the Youtube video. His face was thoughtful; melancholy, even. I sang along softly while I changed Naveen's diaper. Deaglan looked over at me. Our eyes met and held for a few seconds. He smiled, a shy sweet dimply smile and then went back to watching his song.






8 comments:

  1. Such a sweet post. I love that Naveen was hammering away at the laptop. Mine just likes to color on mine.

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  2. I think it's funny that children will try the "you're not the boss of me" bit even when they are very young.

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  3. Love that last photo.

    I like his thoughtful deep ruminations.

    T has been asking who would take care of him if something happened to us. Then he'll ask who would take care of him if everyone in the world were gone except him. I am amazed by such deep thoughts in such young kids.

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  4. "You not the bossa me!"...hear this all.the.time.
    Beautiful remembering post, Kim.
    xo

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  5. where do they learn that "you're not the boss of me" phrase?!
    the photo of the daddy/soon feet is darling!

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  6. What deepness your big boy has...curious and brilliance and depth. I love it. ;)
    Sounds like you may need a cushiony cover for your laptop! :) xxO

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  7. Yes, I do have the same concern: where do they learn that "you're not the boss of me" ?

    Great post, I know how hard can be to be a busy mom bee...

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  8. I think my teenagers share that "you're not the boss of me" thinking with me all the time!

    Great last pic :)

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