Today's post is about other peoples' children and the different experiences and expectation gained by both parties. In the first experience, I learnt that our own children were infinitely more well-behaved other I have recently met. One of them is verging on being 'feral' - he screeches when not getting his way, he poked me in the face while asking for a fruit juice, he punches his older brother and he sulks when he does not want to follow instructions. Sam thinks that he is still young, but I think he is evil.
Sean is taking care of Arlene's children for the weekend, and though it seems like a chore in the beginning - I can sense that he is starting to warm up to the task. Especially because Mao remembers him; and the variety of responses he gets from the variety of pets are rewarding. So, the chore have become a charm, he is fortunate. He has just rewarded himself with a large soft serve ice-cream. I should tell him that Arlene asks him instead of Sam because Arlene can sense that there is a growing maturity and with it, a sense of responsibility. And indirectly, it might be Arlene's way of nurturing a young person.
In Chongqing, stories are being told abut our trip prompting Lin's mom to label me as their 'enlightenment' teacher (启蒙老师 qi-men lao shi) - an imparter of rudimentary gems of knowledge?. Just life lessons because I have lived for so much longer than them. They want to travel with us again - they say that they were very happy during the trip; easy to be with, and talk to. Just like cool parents, I thought to myself...
