My wife and I had been a bit concerned that our oldest, James, might have a little trouble with empathy (he'll be 4 in June). Whenever our youngest, Sophia, would be crying in the back seat he would laugh. Of course, the crying drove me nuts so I guess laughter was a better response than mine. 
Anyhow, a few recent episodes have shown us how tender his heart really is...
1. My wife was watching a movie one afternoon with a very sad ending. She was crying as he walked out from his nap. He said in a very tender tone: "Mommy, you're crying." He walked up to her and hugged her patting her on the back and said "It's going to be OK."
2. Our second, Anna (age 2), was disobedient recently and Sonya had to smack her hand. She walked from the kitchen balling and said to James: "Mommy spank me...." James hugged her and said: "Ohhh. I'm sorry Anna. Don't cry. It's going to be OK." She stopped crying.
3. Just this afternoon, I walked in from work (had to work this weekend during an exercise). Anna had some left over Burger King from lunch time and I finished off her few fries and chicken tender she hadn't eaten. I didn't know she was still working on it because she had left it until after her nap. Anyway, James and she start crying. I said to James: "What's the matter." He said: "Anna lost her chicken." She was upset so he was upset for her.
I said: "I'm sorry, I ate her chicken." He got upset and said "Don't ever do that again." I told him he was not to talk to Daddy that way and then I asked Anna's forgiveness for eating her chicken. The episode was so cute and, except that he needed to learn the bounds of propriety in talking to his father, it was really quite touching how concerned he was about his sister.
What a tremendous blessing children are! Just thought I'd share some really cute things that cause me wonder as I see a tender personality blossoming in my boy in between all the Spider Man stunts he's constantly re-enacting.
[Edited on 5-21-2006 by SemperFideles]
Anyhow, a few recent episodes have shown us how tender his heart really is...
1. My wife was watching a movie one afternoon with a very sad ending. She was crying as he walked out from his nap. He said in a very tender tone: "Mommy, you're crying." He walked up to her and hugged her patting her on the back and said "It's going to be OK."
2. Our second, Anna (age 2), was disobedient recently and Sonya had to smack her hand. She walked from the kitchen balling and said to James: "Mommy spank me...." James hugged her and said: "Ohhh. I'm sorry Anna. Don't cry. It's going to be OK." She stopped crying.
3. Just this afternoon, I walked in from work (had to work this weekend during an exercise). Anna had some left over Burger King from lunch time and I finished off her few fries and chicken tender she hadn't eaten. I didn't know she was still working on it because she had left it until after her nap. Anyway, James and she start crying. I said to James: "What's the matter." He said: "Anna lost her chicken." She was upset so he was upset for her.
I said: "I'm sorry, I ate her chicken." He got upset and said "Don't ever do that again." I told him he was not to talk to Daddy that way and then I asked Anna's forgiveness for eating her chicken. The episode was so cute and, except that he needed to learn the bounds of propriety in talking to his father, it was really quite touching how concerned he was about his sister.
What a tremendous blessing children are! Just thought I'd share some really cute things that cause me wonder as I see a tender personality blossoming in my boy in between all the Spider Man stunts he's constantly re-enacting.
[Edited on 5-21-2006 by SemperFideles]
