One of the great pleasures of parenting has been watching my children learn. Kids don’t come preprogrammed and they don’t know much when they are born. It’s wonderful to teach them, and to see the synapses connect. Not that I’m monitoring their mental activities with MRI. But there are moments in time when it’s clear that they get it.
The current example right now is how my two-year-old is learning to control her bodily functions. After a few frustrating days, now it seems she understands what to do. She looks at me in a certain way and I know it has happened. What I was trying to teach her has transferred from me to her. From my words to her body and finally her face,lit up like a sign anyone could read.
I love this look of learning. It’s as if a switch has been turned on inside. Eyes widen. A smile begins: pride and pleasure. It’s obvious to us both. I can almost hear the click.
