One of the most delicious things about kids under six is that they haven't yet had the truth socialized out of them. As a result they say it as they see it and feel it.
Even though three of my four grandkiddies have already learned to observe but not always say it, there is still one little three year old family maverick who speaks 'the truth.' Just last week I took her and her older sister to see Santa downtown. Waiting for the subway I insisted she hold my hand. She complied with lots of fuss, then leaned over to her sister and said, 'Grandma is very mean.' I smiled to myself and thought, she's afraid to mess directly with me but she slyly reported to her sister in a voice loud enough for me to hear. Smart kid!
Here are a few other truth telling episodes I've been the victim of over the years. Funny, they made enough of an impression on me that even with the passage of time, I haven't forgotten them.
The youngest of my grandchildren won't sit still for photographs. She's absolutely adorable, she refuses to put her hair in a pony tale, and her idea of a photograph-able face is a comic grimace.
She's up; she's down. She's like quicksilver in constant motion. As hard as I try I never get anything close to a recognizable and presentable portrait of what she really looks like. Please see Exhibit #1
After many, many failures I devised a grandmotherly plan that, while quite devious, was a win-win situation for both of us. Last week I enticed her with two things she cannot resist. A timer and a popsicle. Heh, heh, heh.... Exhibit #2
After her lunch of Mac and Cheese I explained that she was going to have a red popsicle for dessert but we had to wait for five minutes so she wouldn't be too full to eat it. We set the timer for her to count off the minutes. I also explained that we'd need to put her hair in a ponytail JUST while she ate her popsicle so her hair wouldn't get messy. Heh, heh, heh... (Yes, grandmothers do lie to their grandkiddies).
I give that little girl enormous credit because she waited the full five minutes which is hard for any little girl to do. Her mom was amazed! See: Exhibits #4, 5, 6
And then, the timer rang and victory was hers. Grandma rushed to the freezer and presented her with her popsicle. Exhibit #7
Here are my three favorite shots of my little granddaughter, her hair (almost) in a ponytail, her face completely relaxed and in popsicle heaven. Exhibit #8, 9, 10.
One sweet child + one timer + one popsicle = some great photos and wonderful memories. I rest my case.
Something you might not know about me: I was 45 when I went back to school to get my Bachelor of Arts with a major in Film and Communication. I studied script writing, editing, film history, and film analysis. For five glorious years I lived and breathed movies and loved it.
In 1989 I accepted an internship with a production company filming in North America and the Middle East. I went from being a messenger on set to the company's production coordinator. My name is in the movie's credits and I absolutely adored the experience.
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