Have you ever noticed the way your five year old wakes up in the morning? Well, my five year old, Stephen, can’t wait to bounce out of bed in the morning. With a , “Good morning, Mommy,” and a smile as genuine as it gets, he is ready to begin a brand new day full of adventure. I can’t help being a little jealous of the enthusiasm that exudes from his being. Life, to him, is always a brand new beginning and he faces each day as joyfully as the next. Why is it that this happiness can’t be a little more contagious? I look at him and I try to remember when I was younger and full of hopes and dreams. But, as the mother of a five year old there isn’t too much time for reflection, as he wants me to join him in yet another game of Candy Land, checkers, or Scooby Doo Thrills and Spills.
After kindergarten, he wants to explore the woods out back where he is working on his latest project. Then he spends time playing with his sisters and brothers, does his homework, eats dinner, watches TV and finally after his bath, we read a book together. Another day of fun comes to an end, as Stephen tries his best to avoid going to bed. After about three trips downstairs after saying goodnight, he finally gives in to his tiredness. I am left to marvel at his energy level. The good thing about being the mother of a five year old is that to a certain extent his curiosity and observations of things do become part of my experience, too. While I can’t totally experience his thrill at discovering something for the first time, I am there to share it with him and that is quite enough for me.
