From “The Human Condition: A User’s Manual,” by Arnold Kunst
23 January
Little Johnny Stories III
For some time now little Johnny is happy to have the
increased freedom of movement that thumping and bumping around on the floor
offers him. Then gradually it dawns on his pre-speech mind that he needs to
leave off imitating the cat and the dog [his first experience with
time-and-motion]. He notices that cats and dogs are natural four-leggers, and
it’s becoming clear that he’s not. After all, mommy and daddy and every other
person in his world gets around on their back two, so he needs to matriculate
from four to two.
It’s not a smooth, easy transition, of course. Consider the
day that the whole family is there, sitting in a circle for THOSE FIRST FEW
STEPS. Mommy’s holding Johnny’s little hands, and Daddy, a few feet away, says
dramatically, “Ok, Johnny, come to Daddy! Come to Daddy!”
Mommy lets go, cameras are poised, everyone’s tingling with
excitement. Then Johnny wobbles on his bow-legs, and… FALLS!
Does Daddy pick the kid up and throw him into his crib and
say, “Ok, Johnny, you’ve had your chance to walk – that’s you finished”? No!
Loving the child means they'll encourage him even when he fails in his attempts.
How long will they encourage Johnny to walk? Until he actually succeeds.
[I think there a lesson here for you and me, right?]
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