My daughter, Anna, is three years old, and has the personality of an exceptionally curious, willful puppy. Last night, I had to reprimand her for disobeying — a common occurence — and she said through her tears, “Daddy, do you love me even when I’m fussy?”
Before I gave the standard reply (“I always love you, no matter what”) my older son Charlie piped up: “Yes, he loves you, Anna, he just doesn’t like the fussy!”
I don’t want to read too much into a 4-year-old’s comment, but it’s delightful to see a small child grasp the idea that you can love people without approving of all of their actions. Yet how many adults argue that unless we approve of their vices, we are unloving bigots? Sometimes, kids really are wiser than adults, or at least they see things more clearly.
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You have great kids inspired by their parents’ example.