"How do you solve a problem like... Meleah"
Meleah is a great girl. For those who don't know her, she is a curly-haired, 3.5 foot tall bundle of energy. She loves to be active, outside and in, and she always has an idea for something to play. She's also one of the most articulate kids I've ever known and is already well-practiced in her negotiation skills. If I had a nickle for everytime I've heard her say, "I'll tell you what," or "I'll make you you a deal," or "Let's make a deal," or "I have another idea" (the last one she says after I suggest something) then I would probably have... a few of dollars. But since I'm not around her every day and I've only known her for a year and a half that's still pretty significant odds of hearing her say one of these things on any given day.
Meleah sometimes teaches me significant lessons. One time at Sunday dinner she told me a story about her toe. She was playing and accidentally stepped on something sharp (I don't remember the details now, although I could ask her again and she could probably tell me still). She said that it hurt really bad and she couldn't stop crying. Then she said a prayer and asked Heavenly Father to help her toe feel better. Subsequently the tears and the hurt stopped right afterwards.
I was playing with Meleah and her brother earlier this week. I was really happy that she had eaten her breakfast that day because she is easily excitable and opts out of eating whenever there's an opportunity to play, or read, or do almost anything else besides eating. But Tuesday morning she ate a few bites of eggs and downed a whole cup of orange yogurt. Afterwards we were singing and sorting things into piles and I was amazed by how willing she was to help. I tried giving her brother something to put with the toy pile and she usually got it from me before he could. I tried alternating between giving things to her and her brother but she was really fast at coming to get whatever I had for the both of them.
Most of us have a desire to please someone or accomplish something. Sometimes people try to please their boss so they get a promotion, or their date to try and convince that person to keep going out together, or whatever. It seems like little kids, including Meleah, want to please their parents. Well, I'm not Meleah's mom but she was sure excited to help her Aunt Christy, and that's how she is most of the time. It makes me pause to think who do I want to please the most, why, and is it wise to want to please that person.
After we finished sorting things into piles Meleah suggested we play duck-duck-goose. It's an interesting game when there's only three of you. I ended up being choosen as the "goose" almost every time and it didn't just involve running around our small circle where we sat. We ran through the kitchen, around the table and back into the front room. I could only take about a dozen rounds before all the up and downs made me pretty tired and I asked if we could take a break from that game and maybe read some books.
"Yes, lets get these blankets, and a drink in a sippy-cup and we'll go sit together on the couch and read some books!" --not my saying, Miss Articulate's. Good idea Meleah!
Sometimes it can feel tiring to try keeping up with Meleah, and her energy level. Sometimes it's also hard to know how to respond when she's trying so hard to negotiate you into doing something you really don't feel like doing. But it's never wasted-time when you're with Meleah. And I love her!
Meleah sometimes teaches me significant lessons. One time at Sunday dinner she told me a story about her toe. She was playing and accidentally stepped on something sharp (I don't remember the details now, although I could ask her again and she could probably tell me still). She said that it hurt really bad and she couldn't stop crying. Then she said a prayer and asked Heavenly Father to help her toe feel better. Subsequently the tears and the hurt stopped right afterwards.
I was playing with Meleah and her brother earlier this week. I was really happy that she had eaten her breakfast that day because she is easily excitable and opts out of eating whenever there's an opportunity to play, or read, or do almost anything else besides eating. But Tuesday morning she ate a few bites of eggs and downed a whole cup of orange yogurt. Afterwards we were singing and sorting things into piles and I was amazed by how willing she was to help. I tried giving her brother something to put with the toy pile and she usually got it from me before he could. I tried alternating between giving things to her and her brother but she was really fast at coming to get whatever I had for the both of them.
Most of us have a desire to please someone or accomplish something. Sometimes people try to please their boss so they get a promotion, or their date to try and convince that person to keep going out together, or whatever. It seems like little kids, including Meleah, want to please their parents. Well, I'm not Meleah's mom but she was sure excited to help her Aunt Christy, and that's how she is most of the time. It makes me pause to think who do I want to please the most, why, and is it wise to want to please that person.
After we finished sorting things into piles Meleah suggested we play duck-duck-goose. It's an interesting game when there's only three of you. I ended up being choosen as the "goose" almost every time and it didn't just involve running around our small circle where we sat. We ran through the kitchen, around the table and back into the front room. I could only take about a dozen rounds before all the up and downs made me pretty tired and I asked if we could take a break from that game and maybe read some books.
"Yes, lets get these blankets, and a drink in a sippy-cup and we'll go sit together on the couch and read some books!" --not my saying, Miss Articulate's. Good idea Meleah!
Sometimes it can feel tiring to try keeping up with Meleah, and her energy level. Sometimes it's also hard to know how to respond when she's trying so hard to negotiate you into doing something you really don't feel like doing. But it's never wasted-time when you're with Meleah. And I love her!
Comments
Post a Comment