Why 6 is better than 36

My 6 year old daughter, Aiysha is the sort of person who would do well in life. I am saying this without flattering myself, because I certainly have little, or no part at all in how Aiysha becomes Aiysha. My body provided her a window through which she climbed into this world, and my husband and I equip her with the necessary tools she may need on her wondrous journey. But the rest is all Aiysha's --and certainly God's-- own making.

Aiysha is very indulgent of her mother's behaviour, especially when it comes to bad behaviour. By the time I get home in the evenings, I am a vessel brimming with bad vibes and frustrations and complaints. Aiysha will simply put this down to age. Last night, she said "Mummy, relax. It's okay to be 36".

Of course, she doesn't mean that it's any fun to be 36. She made this quite clear when I asked her to compare our situations.

According to Aiysha, it's better to be six, because :
- you're always pretty
- you can stay up on Friday nights and boogie without getting tired
- you can always gets coins for your Hello Kitty purse without having to work

Why wouldn't you want to be six when you're Aiysha?

Aiysha is tall, has long brown hair and large limpid eyes and can survive the perils of pre-school without moisturizing. She has prayers for everything and is genuinely cognizant of God. (This morning, in the car she sighs : Oh no Mummy, we forgot to recite the do'a of the Pilgrims). And yet, she can put on pink shorts and a small tank top just because it looks good, without having to explain herself. She can change her mind as often as she likes - yes, I want to be a princess (after Barbie) and no, I don't (after Roman Holiday). She has perfected the art of brown-nosing her parents, her teachers and even the occasional hard-nosed aunt, has learnt to get things her way without resorting to whines, but she can also be incredibly considerate when it comes to friends and siblings, if she chooses to.

Aiysha has an understanding of the logics of human emotion that is far beyond her years, it is downright scary. Like she's an old soul, or something. Her favourite topic is love - but not the candy coloured ones you get with Hillary Duff. She's always interested in how my husband and I met and fell in love, and how my mother and father seperated and fell apart. She's adept at analysing - songs on the radio, a movie, a snatch of gossip from the conversations of adults. When she grows up, she should take up either psychiatry -- or politics.

I suppose all mothers feel they have something precious in their hands, and you know, all mothers would be right. The challenge is to preserve the free-spirit of six year old Aiysha, even when she's 36.



mokciknab muttered at 11:05 am ~ ~