Max has turned six! There was a time I truly believed that he would NEVER be six. He had a great birthday party. This year he wanted a pokemon party. I know nothing about pokemon, so Jose helped plan things. We played a couple pokemon games...had a pokemon cake and played the now obligatory chase dad around the yard game. Chasing dad the super villain was so popular last year that it is now a staple party activity. This year I had to participate (I did not have the excuse of being pregnant). Dad and I were a pokemon team called team rocket. We had a pokemon battle with the kids. They had to tag us six times to win. It was very popular.
Traditionally we have asked for no gifts at our kids birthday parties, but my kids have now caught on that other children get gifts at their birthdays, so this year things were different. Max wanted presents. I sat him down to talk to him about gift etiquette.
Me: If someone gives you a present Max, you need to say thank you and be grateful.
Max: What if I don't like it?
Me: Even if you don't like it. You pretend to like it.
Max: Isn't that lying?
I went on to try to explain the intricacies of lying. How it mattered who you were lying to and why. And that in this case, you were lying to prevent hurting someone.
Me: Besides, if you are grateful for the gift someone gives you, they are more likely to want to give you gifts in the future right?
The lesson really stuck. Max definitely wanted more gifts in the future and "it will hurt others" is usually a very effective motivator for him. He was careful to REALLY appreciate every gift at his party. The kids sat around him in a circle. With his first gift he received a beautiful homemade card. To make the paper card shaped, it had been folded in half twice then illustrated on the front and in side. But if you unfolded the paper the whole way one side was completely blank. Max took out the card and unfolded it so he was staring at the blank side. Then his whole face lit up in mock adoration.
Max : Oh wow! I really love it!
Later Darwyn offered Max a card. She had gotten him a gift, but forgotten to make a card. No problem, Darwyn is a big advocate of recycling. A day or two earlier she had made a card for some new children she met in our neighbourhood named Oliver and Avery, but hadn't given it to them yet. She grabbed this card and offered it to Max.
Max: (slowing sounding out the words) To O-l-i-v-e-r and A-v-e-r-y.......uh....Oh THANK YOU DAR!!!! I really love it.
Darwyn beamed. Max may not be the best actor, but he is a sweet little boy and his acting was good enough for her.
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| Max and his pokemon cake |
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| "Oh wow! I really love it!" |
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| Genuine appreciation |
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