Awhile ago, my wife, Angelina, decided that it was time to get back to work. The kids were older now, and after 15 years of home making, she wanted to know if she still had what it took in the “Real world”. She decided to get back to her passion, teaching preschoolers. It is a rare person that can wipe noses, kiss booboos and play with blocks for several hours a day… and enjoy it. Not only does she survive in this environment, she thrives. She comes home everyday with cute stories of how much fun she had with “her kids”, what they learned, how they made her laugh… and sometimes… how they made her cry. She has one student, a little girl named Maria, who is a real handful. We are all familiar with the term “The terrible twos”. Well Maria fits into “The Thick Headed Threes” category. She invites confrontation. Playmate, teacher, parent, it doesn’t matter, she loves a good argument. She enjoys dishing it out. In her own words she once said with enthusiasm “I love being bad.”
Maria can take it pretty well too. No other child seems to be able to ruffle her feathers. A few days ago, Angelina came home with a great Maria story. Apparently several kids were ganging up on her in a verbal assault over her inability to share the “red tricycle”. They were calling her every name that a group of three year olds could come up with. Serious things like “Booger head, Sissy, Potty pants” were said. Words were said that would normally be enough to draw tears, or at least cause sand to be thrown in response. But it had no affect on Maria. She simply looked up and said with complete congruency, “I don’t care what you say to me because I JUST WIPE IT OFF”. She said this while making a gesture with her hand like you would if a spider was on your shoulder. She then rode away carefree on the red tricycle.
As Maria grows up, I hope she learns to share more. I hope she can learn to at least “like” being good. I hope she can find joy in friendship. But I also hope that in the future, when life or people or circumstances are trying to bring her down, she never loses her ability to “Wipe it off” and ride away carefree on her red tricycle.
Next time you find yourself being called “Booger head” or the age appropriate equivalent, just ask yourself “What would Maria do”?
