Aired October 13, 2006

On Being a Boy and Four

In an email, an acquaintance stated that four year olds were at the most difficult stage. Myself, I love four. Four is wonderful. Okay, I have my moments when I have to do a sanity check but let me list a few things:

• A four year old is old enough to do things for himself, yet young enough to still need you.
• Four is old enough to play independently, but love still to sit in your lap.
• A four year old can communicate well, but still has a few baby words to cherish, like maz-a-gine (magazine), to make you laugh.
• A four year old is old enough to walk, but young enough to pick up. Nothing feels like the warm, loving hand on the back of your neck while you hold him.
• A four year old can go to the bathroom by himself, but is young enough to still go in the Women's restroom where you can see him.
• A four year old can (almost) sleep through the night, but is young enough to still sometimes fall asleep in your arms.
• A four year old can dress himself, but isn't old enough to know that orange pants with a purple turtle shirt isn't cool.
• A four year old is old enough to not cry when they cut off the cast of his broken leg, but young enough to stir your sympathy when he shakes like a leaf.
• A four year old likes to sit in your lap while you read, and can laugh at the book. He's not old enough that you worry yet about how well he is learning to read.
• A four year old is still young enough to enjoy finding a cool worm, but old enough not to eat it.

And yes, there are moments when he asserts his grown up self that we all grrrrrrrrrr through our teeth. Still, I see our four year old slipping away into a five year old. It won't be long now and it won't be cool to be your mama's boy. Cherish the days.