Down a man, everyone else has had to pitch in to help me out - and yes, I need a lot of help! Mainly, Ariel is a different kid when her dad's away. I've noticed her, several times, speaking up for her sister when I'm busy with Penelope. During dinner at grandma and granddads, from upstairs I could hear her asking the grown-ups for a yogurt for her sister. She persisted until she was heard. When her cousin wouldn't share her toy with Elyse (let's be clear - Ariel has done this a million times), Ariel was telling her off for not being very nice. I'm proud of her for standing up for her sis, and in truth, helping to care for her.
This morning, I was breastfeeding Penelope, and I asked Ariel to get herself some cereal, which she bemoaned because of course she wanted me to do it for her, but there was a crying baby to tend to - so tough luck. She's perfectly capable. So what did she do? She got herself a bowl and cereal, a drink, and some extra Rice Krispies for Elyse too (not to mention a bonus apple sauce cup for herself).
Ariel's helped her sister blow her nose, get her shoes on, and waited for her to come down the stairs. When she's gotten stuck at the top, she's pulled her down the slide outside (not sure if this falls more under 'helping' or 'hurting', but Elyse survived). Ariel leads her sister away from danger (i.e. turning off taps, steering her away from the toilet, stopping her from slamming doors...) when I've asked her to. She'll bring her a toy, or take her hand to distract her. Sometimes, this all majorly backfires in my face, but in some respects, Ariel is capable of showing maturity beyond her five years, and that side of her has a chance to shine when there's less adults around running the show.
But, let's be real: I have never seen Ariel more patient with her sister than when she wanted a piece of her cookie. Elyse abandoned said cookie on the kid's table, and Ariel asked me if she could eat it. "You have to ask Elyse," I said.
By this time, Elyse was way upstairs and away from the kitchen. Ariel went to find her, then waited by her side patiently, sitting on the steps, encouraging her to come back down the stairs so she could ask her about the cookie. Ariel waited a good 15 minutes without complaint. Finally, Elyse descended at a snail's pace (relishing her big sister's attention, I'm sure), and when they reached the bottom, Ariel then gently lead her little sister by the hand over to the table, and, showing her the cookie, asked her politely for that last bite, to which Elyse promptly responded, "No." (side note: they ended up sharing it)
I know it may seem unfair to ask a five year old to help take care of their almost 4 year old and 3 month old siblings, but I don't see it that way. In our house, I want everyone to contribute to the best of their abilities, and I do expect Ariel to look out for both of her little sisters, always. Just as they'll eventually look out for her. I don't want her to feel burdened; I do want her to learn responsibility, and how to pitch in. I do want her to show empathy for those who are smaller than her, and for those who are in need. She often sits and plays with Penelope too, and both big sisters are quick to rush over to their baby when she cries out, which I love to see.
Besides helping me out, or getting into trouble...kids say some pretty darn cute things.
Here are a few memorable kid moments that really keep me going:
Elyse said to me the other day, "You're the best!" - she repeated it a few times - the message, and full sentence, melted my heart. She also told me, "I'm scared", when Ariel was pretending to be a ghost today. She has been talking up a storm, and her language proficiency in English is moving ahead in leaps and bounds. I would attribute the change to the fact we've placed such a huge emphasis on language by sending her to a French school (where the focus is on learning a new language). It's very exciting discovering her voice - though she's made her opinions clear for a long time.
Ariel had a few great lines today:
Ariel: "Mom, is it a school day tomorrow?"
Me: "Yes."
5 minutes later
Ariel: "Mom, Madame said that there's no school tomorrow. That the kids don't have to go to school."
Me: "Oh yeah, why is that?"
Ariel: "The teachers are decorating for Halloween!"
I decided to be a little bit mean, and told her that was okay, because Madame had sent me a separate message saying that only she has to go and help decorate. "You celebrate Halloween, don't you?" She was very flustered by that last piece of news.
More Ariel anecdotes:
Ariel: "Mom, did you know that banana flavoured yogurt tubes are my favourite because they taste like minions?"
Me: "I had no idea."
Giggly girls
The triad, hanging out
Little pumpkin
Who says baby's don't go in forts, or that big girls don't go on baby play mats? Ariel and Pea in 'the Jungle'
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